


Emperor of Ash

by Jtaco2356



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: AU, All Black Eagles are presumed dead, All other students are presumed alive, Angst, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd Needs a Hug, Eventual Fluff, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Blue Lions Route Spoilers, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Spoilers, Multi, No Beta, Poor Edelgard, Post-Blue Lions Route (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Survivor Guilt, first fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-12
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:53:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 25,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23112010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jtaco2356/pseuds/Jtaco2356
Summary: The Adrestian Empire has fallen. Emperor Edelgard is ready to die, but quickly finds it's not that easy.Or a post-Azure Moon AU where Edelgard gets captured.
Relationships: Annette Fantine Dominic/Felix Hugo Fraldarius, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd & Edelgard von Hresvelg, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/My Unit | Byleth, Edelgard von Hresvelg & Hubert von Vestra, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 92
Kudos: 128





	1. The End of the War

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is my first fic so hope you all enjoy! This chapter is basically a few seconds in too many words and I'm looking forward to ramping it up.

The battle was over.

Soon the war would be too.

These thoughts went through Edelgard’s head, fluttering back and forth like a dream. She was bleeding, it was oddly fascinating watching it soak into her dress and drip onto the floor, next to her knees. Blood didn’t bother her that much anymore, not even her own. But it was proof she had lost, and soundly-not even the Hegemon had been enough to save her cause. It never seemed to be enough. All that pain to give her that power, all for nothing in the end. She knew that it was over when Myson’s troops had fled. The Adrestian Empire would fall with her, but Those Who Slither in the Dark would live another day. Those bastards had really gotten away with it all. Edelgard could almost see her uncle smiling from beyond the grave. She recalled hearing about his death at Derdriu. It had certainly softened the defeat.

“A flicker of positivity in a dreadful situation”, Hubert had said at the time, little emotion in his tone. Always blunt to a fault, that one. Still, Edelgard missed the presence of Hubert Von Vestra. When she’d received the report of his defeat at the castle gates, there wasn’t even time to mourn. No matter how much he refused the label, she had certainly considered him a companion, as well as her most trusted ally and a vital part of the Empire. Edelgard couldn’t even remember her final words to him, or his to her. Probably something mundane. He would have said not to worry about it.

Hubert’s advice had been helpful, even if she didn’t always admit it. He wasn’t here now, but she knew exactly what he would say, and how he would say it. He would tell her to simply play to her talents: assess the situation and bring it under her control. Control was always one of her strong points. However, as Edelgard started to assess her current situation, she knew control was not going to be her ally. As she prepared to raise her head, she knew what she’d see before even looking up. A single damned crystal-blue eye that would silently judge her and weigh her sins.

But when she looked up, the eye was there, yes, but had a different aura to it. Something that seemed almost akin to pity. Edelgard hated pity, especially when she was on the receiving end. The pity in this eye looked slightly out of place. Probably because pity wasn’t something the owner had felt too much of recently.

But the look still connected with a memory. It was when she was leaving Faerghus to go back to Adrestia. In that memory, she definitely recalled that eye and another showing, yes, pity, and happiness, and sadness, and maybe even love. Had the boy from all those years ago really returned to his old self? She looked again. Outwardly, the eye still seemed to be the only thing that remained of that friendly memory.

Dimitri Blaiddyd really did look like a monster. Not nearly as much as he did at Gronder, with drool protruding from his mouth and a dark shadow underneath his eye, not to mention his unhinged screams and animalistic behavior. But something had definitely changed in him for the better. His blond matted hair was still messy and tinted with blood, and his hulking stature and jet-black and blue caped armor still made him look more animal than man, but his demeanor was way calmer.

No type of demeanor change, however, could make it possible to ignore the eyepatch. The eyepatch that was both a black hole and a portal that made the remaining eye shine brighter. Edelgard felt the missing eye’s weight upon her as she studied his face. Dimitri was looking down at her, and his lips seemed to be curling upward, but not in the way he had done at Gronder. There it had been wild and sick and twisted.

This was nothing like that. It was again, strangely familiar. She decided to return his look, with pity as well. Again, Edelgard really was never one for pity, but accepting your imminent mortality really does bring things out in people She had pity, pity for what they both had to become. Pity for Hubert, devoting his life and dying for her. Pity for all the Black Eagles, going immediately to war and never really living before they died, all for naught. But most of all, pity for herself that she had failed them and herself. That these deaths would be in vain after all. That the power of the Immaculate One's cult would keep crushing those beneath.

She always thought Byleth could have understood her, but in the Holy Tomb the professor had stood beside Dimitri and the Church, despite Dimitri’s...extreme reaction to the truth about her. That was uncomfortable. Edelgard looked away from Dimitri. Unlike him, Byleth’s eyes and expression showed nothing. With the old professor though, it could be hard to tell if that was intentional.

Slowly, Dimitri moved again. His cape was clinging to his body, making him look skinnier and more, well, human as each painstaking second went by. His smile remained. He was extending a hand, trying to reach out to her. He always was naive. Edelgard had accepted long ago that her fate was victory or death, preferably the former. Even if things were not so black and white, the war could not end with them both alive. Didn’t he know that? The Empire did not initially start the war, she had. With both her death and Hubert’s, the Empire would lose its momentum if it even chose to continue the fight, which it most likely would not. She tugged her own cloak around her body. Was there a chance he did know all this, and was trying to reach out to her anyway? If so, Dimitri really didn’t know her all that well then. What would it be like to accept his hand? Impossible.

“And irrational” Hubert’s voice echoed in her head. She almost rolled her eyes.

Maybe in another lifetime she could have accepted it. But probably not. Nobody could ever understand, not even him. Dimitri really did seem to be more like the boy from her memories in this moment, instead of what he had become in recent years. That boy had an open heart, and had been her friend, one who had gifted her a dagger many years ago as a sign of their friendship. Ah yes, the dagger...

“El…”

The word ripped her out of her thoughts. She looked up at Dimitri again. His smile had grown slightly larger, as if he was more confident in it. He stretched his fingers out in front of him. Edelgard smiled softly back. She knew what she had to do now. She hoped to show him one last time through her smile that she was no monster, even if her next action would seem to show she truly was one.  
She felt the figure of the dagger against the cloth of her dress. One fluid movement is all it would take to grab it and make him do what he wouldn’t otherwise. She would go for his shoulder, but not his dominant one. She couldn’t risk this not working. Using the last of her strength, she quickly sheathed the dagger out of her dress.

She felt the pain in her stomach before she could even see him move. The dagger was in Dimitri’s shoulder. His smile had gone, and his hair covered the remaining eye. It made him look old and sad. Edelgard kept her arm outstretched. Time seemed to stop.

Darkness.


	2. The Flow of Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the conflict in the throne room, Edelgard is visited by the past, and must find a way to accept the present.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, here's chapter 2! I finished my fourth route Silver Snow which gave me the motivation to write today, looking forward to finally trying Cindered Shadows and meeting the sewer rats. Hope you enjoy!

“Slow down!”

‘Hurry up!”

“Hold on!”

Edelgard stopped to catch her breath. Dimitri laughed. 

“Come on El! You gotta be faster than that!” He grinned.

El...she liked it when he called her that. Faerghus sure was cold, but it was nice to have a true friend here. She hadn’t been in the Kingdom long, but her and Dimitri had quickly got along and spent a lot of time together. Back home it was just Hubert who would spend time with her, and while it was fun to have somebody to boss around, it wasn’t the same. There was also that boy Ferdinand Von Aegir that her dad always wanted her to have tea with, but he was no fun at all. 

She responded to him between breaths. “I don’t...run...very often...” The words barely seemed to get out. Dimitri smirked good-naturedly at her.

“Glenn tells me to run every morning. He says it’ll make me a strong king. That and eating plenty of cheese!” He puffed out his chest to look regal. Edelgard couldn’t help but laugh, which made him a bit embarrassed. “A ruler oughta do more then look the part though, don’t you think?” She nodded her head quickly in agreement. “So come on, we’re almost there!” Dimitri yelled back as he bounded across the thin layer of snow.

Edelgard caught her breath and ran after him again. After some time they ran up a hill to find a valley surrounded by tall grass. A light wind blew through the area which made the grass rustle softly. Dimitri smiled and put his hands on his hips.

“This is the spot!” He looked at her, satisfied. She was confused.

“What’s so special about this spot? I could’ve just taught you in the Fhirdiad gardens where at least I could see some new flowers from Faerghus…”

Dimitri looked bummed. “Aw man...I thought you’d like this place” he said softly. “I chose it since it’s nice and well, private.”

“Private?” Edelgard tilted her head in confusion. “Usually when you dance you’ll be in public.”

He blushed and stammered his answer. “Well, uh, by private I mean it’s because I don’t want people to see me dancing yet.” Confidence grew in his voice. “It’s probably not right for a prince to be seen dancing badly in public, even by guards or servants. Not to mention if Sylvain saw us…” His voice trailed off as the color on his cheeks stayed bright red.

“If you say so. We should get started then, since we got here so late.” They went down the hill and she began to show him the starting position. Dimitri was obviously nervous, and honestly not very good. His hands were a little sweaty, but the real problem was the footwork. He was quite clumsy.

“Stop stepping on my toes!”

“Sorry, sorry! How am I supposed to know how to avoid them without looking?”

“It’s a simple pattern of movement! Not that complicated!”

“Maybe for you, El!”

Dimitri got better as time went on, but was still stepping on her toes. After around the tenth time they looked at each other and burst into laughter.

“Some things can’t be helped.” He said with a grin.

“I guess not.” The sun was going down, and the moon was peeking out of the hill. “Let’s do it once more, this time I’ll hum a waltz, that might help.”

They got into position again, and started dancing in tune with her humming, which definitely helped the prince stay on beat. In the middle of the dance, Edelgard felt a slight pain in her stomach, but it wasn’t enough to stop the waltz. Instead, she looked up at Dimitri to compliment his improvement.

“You got it! Hum with me, that will help.” 

He nodded in agreement and then looked back down at his feet, but something was wrong. He started humming an unfamiliar tune, not in line with the dance at all. Not only that, but it did not sound like him. The humming was light and airy. She opened her mouth to ask him about it, but couldn’t get the words out. The pain in her stomach was getting worse. Dimitri stopped humming and looked up again. 

“El…”

He had an eyepatch on. It made his other eye shine like--wait, no, this wasn’t right at all. The grass around them had turned crimson, and the wind had stopped completely. Suddenly, Edelgard was very scared. She tried to pull away but his grip had grown strong. She was losing the control. He was leading her in the dance now, slowly waltzing back and forth as she struggled.

“Careful.” He said, in both his voice and a woman’s.

He was not hurting her, but she desperately wanted to be free. She shook and shook. The pain in her stomach was almost unbearable. The sky above Dimitri was starting to turn gray, and her vision was getting real blurry.

“Don’t……forget……” His voice was unclear.

She couldn’t see anything at all, and her vision was starting to get dark again.

Again?

Edelgard did not have time to question what that meant.

\--------------------------------------------------------

“...Forget...” 

“Careful, dear, be careful...you’re gonna be okay.”

Edelgard opened her eyes. The ceiling was blurry, and gray. Someone was moving around quickly. She was on some sort of soft object. There was also an incredibly sharp pain in her stomach.

It came back to her. The battle, the war, and Dimitri. His hand, the dagger in his shoulder. Darkness. Did that mean this was some hell? Was she going to be ripped limb by limb like in the legends of the of the Valley of Torment, doomed to suffer endlessly? 

No. That wasn’t it. There was a light and airy humming sound that was oddly familiar filling the space. Edelgard doubted any hell would have humming. Something else finally clicked: she was not alone here. She could be in an extremely hostile environment, humming could be deceiving. The worst-case scenario was her being back in the hands of Those Who Slither in the Dark. The thought alone sent painful shivers down her spine.

As she tried to sit up to see her surroundings, the pain became overwhelming and she lied back down, cursing at her own weakness under her breath. 

The humming faded away and quick, light footsteps took its place. A concerned face appeared above Edelgard’s head.

“Oh my! You should not be moving so much, hm?”

The face was familiar, and for a second Edelgard’s heart skipped a beat as she initially could have sworn that her old ally Jeritza was standing above her. But no, this face was much kinder and softer looking then his. She put together that it had to be the Blue Lion named Mercedes Von Martritz. Mercedes had always been nothing but kind to her when they interacted briefly at the academy, and even now, after the war, she showed no signs of animosity. It was very sweet, but not smart. To get ahead in life one must have the capacity to be unkind or cruel when needed. How had this girl gotten so far?

“Jeritza.”

Caught in her thoughts, Edelgard did not mean to say that name. But Mercedes simply smiled and clasped her hands together. 

“Oh, you’re speaking, how wonderful! I’ve been talking to you, but haven’t been sure if you have been able to hear me or not.” A sudden excitement took over her. “Oh, you’re progressing so wonderfully! His Highness will be pleased.”

Edelagrd stayed silent, but read through the lines. She was Dimitri’s captive. How to take some sort of control in this situation...she needed to know more information. This was Mercedes, so getting it would probably be pretty straightforward.

“Where...where am I?”

As expected, Mercedes smiled and answered. “We’re in Fhirdiad, of course! I’ve been working my magic on you since the Battle of Enbarr. You sure have been out of it for a while!”

Fhirdiad, the worst possible outcome. Damn it, why couldn’t he have just let her die? She should have used the dagger to stab herself. Now she was far from her home, helpless and captured, like a rabbit Petra would bring to be cooked and eaten. How absolutely pathetic. She looked up at her captor in defiance. The older woman seemed not to notice, just smiling her happy smile. 

Time passed as Mercedes worked in silence--minus some light humming. Edelgard found it hard to hate her when the healing magic felt so comforting. But she was still very much on edge. Mercedes still showed no negativity around someone who was supposed to be her enemy, and even had the gall to pat her shoulder once in response to a wince of pain. Hubert had definitely killed people for less. Her mind wandered to the Battle of Gronder Field. So had she. 

Relatively soon, Mercedes stopped, and mentioned that it was time for her to go, lightly wrapping bandages around Edelagrd’s stomach. Edelgard said nothing as the healer talked her through what would happen after she left and what precautions to take.

“I gave you a pillow to prop your back on, but please don’t sit up too quickly. It will be a while until you can walk again without help. Try to sleep tonight. There will be a guard outside to help you, and just in case you take a turn for the worse, so don’t fret! We’ll take this slowly, and you’ll be better in no time!”  
The sound of Mercedes leaving filled the room and then there was a silence. Edelgard put the pillow behind her and sat up slowly to look around at her surroundings. She was in a cell. She really was a captive. Despite the bars in front of her, the room wasn’t that bad, it was pretty spacey. There was even a private section with a toilet and sink. Edelgard did want to clean up a little, but no way she could walk over to the room by herself. There was a figure outside who seemed to be the guard Mercedes had mentioned. She hated having to rely on other people, especially for something as embarrassing as getting to a washroom, but sometimes one has to swallow their pride. After a few minutes of going back and forth on it she reached out.

“Er...I…”

The guard looked back at her. He was a short man, obviously from Fhirdiad, with a big mustache, and the look he was giving could be classified as the polar opposite of Mercedes’ entire personality. She took a breath, and pretended he was Hubert.

“I require assistance to get to the washroom.” She said, as professionally as one could manage with such a sentence.

Silence. He then spat.

“Imperial wench.” He turned back around.

Cheeks hot with embarrassment and anger, Edelgard laid back down, not giving him the satisfaction of asking for help again. It was going to be a long night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wish we saw a little more of Edelgard and Dimitri's childhood in game, especially in CF from Edelgard's perspective. Also a Edelgard and Mercedes support would be great. Let me know what you think below!


	3. Split Paths

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edelgard is resigned to gloom and doom in the cells of Fhirdiad. However, a visitor may shed some light on her situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoo this ended up taking a bit longer than I intended but hey sometimes that happens. With COVID going around there's definitely no lack in writing time. Hope everyone enjoys Chapter 3 and is staying safe!

A silent war had begun in the cells of Fhirdiad.

A pitiful war to former Emperor Edelgard, considering the scope of the one she had just fought and lost in, for instead of defying the very structures of the world to try and carve something unseen ever before, she was just trying to not to give one worthless person smug satisfaction. Even that wouldn’t be pitiful if the single person was an immortal dragon at the head of an all-powerful organization, but nope, it was a short, portly cell guard.

Yet sometimes she wished it was Rhea and the church she was still up against. At least she had a plan in motion there, and anything seemed possible at the time. Rhea had also been so easy when she was in captivity. It was extremely satisfying.

This guy seemed to hate her just as much as Rhea did, but the difference was she had no power here and they both knew that. So in the week or so she had been there, he had gone out of his way to make her life hell. Not only that, but he was damned creative with it. Sometimes he would bring in her food and outright spill it on the floor when coming in, or take a “taste test” as he would call it to “make sure the food was not poisoned.” The taste test ended up usually being around half the meal. He would also invite other members of the guard over very late in the night to speak and drink loudly, which resulted in her lying awake. Not to mention she was sometimes the subject of their conversation, and not in a way that made her feel very comfortable. 

Edelgard had endured these types of comments in the past, but when she was as powerless as she currently was, it could weigh heavily upon her psyche. Not that she would ever let them know that. One other time he was drinking with them, she thought she had heard a rat in the cell at night and sat up absolutely terrified, out of breath and sweaty while scanning the floor. He and his friends would not stop laughing and soon put two and two together. Afterward, they would sometimes make small squeaking sounds to try and get a reaction out of her. She’d just pull the covers over her head and scrunch into a ball, using the pain in her stomach wound to distract her from their taunts and her fears.

She lived for the times when Mercedes would come in and the nameless guard would be on break. She would stay for hours and always be so kind and caring, and when she brought food it would usually include a sweet or two that was admittedly quite good. She had even brought books once and a comfortable red gown to wear in bed.

Still, Edelgard would not let the guard win by bringing any of this up to Mercedes, even if Mercedes had been nothing but nice to her so far. Asking something that stupid would also make her look absolutely helpless and pathetic, and her image and last semblance of pride, no matter how tarnished, was the last thing she could hold onto in these cells. Everything else was gone. 

Mercedes was in the room now, working diligently and humming away. It was reminiscent of the way Dorothea would hum before a battle, not out of nervousness but just as background noise to keep things moving. Edelgard almost smiled at a memory of Ferdinand catching himself humming along with her and then turning bright red. Everyone had laughed, even Hubert had let out a small chuckle. The corners of her smile disappeared. Dorothea had stopped any and all pre-battle humming after Lorenz’s deflection to the Kingdom and the subsequent word of Ferdinand’s fall at the bridge. 

Edelgard thought of Mercedes’ sweets. Mercedes was not a violent person, but she was one of many who followed the Professor, er, just Byleth now, and Dimitri as they quenched the Empire and everything Edelgard had been fighting for, as well as her friends and allies. Was she disrespecting their memory by accepting these small gifts? By staying alive even? It’s not like she had much of a choice anyway. Still, it felt unfair. Dimitri would have never spent this much effort to spare Caspar or Lindhart. In this situation she was privileged due to her status and family, the one thing she had tried to fight against, and she hated it. 

“Ah!” Mercedes' voice cried out, interrupting her thoughts. “How terrible! I forgot something very important. His Royal Highness King Dimitri wanted me to tell you he was coming today to visit.” 

The words sunk like rocks. Mute, Edelgard nodded her head as proof she heard, head swimming with thoughts again. She had known this was coming eventually, but still wasn’t prepared for whatever would happen. Would she be on the other end of an angry tirade? A lecture? A debate like the meeting before the Battle of Enbarr? Or would he look at her and extend his hand like in the throne room? She was not prepared for any of these.

The rest of the healing time passed by unnaturally quickly. The magic felt relieving as always, yet an unfamiliar fuzzy feeling in her stomach did not go away with the magic. A feeling that hadn’t been there since the moments before she declared war on the church. 

As Mercedes got ready to leave, she must have noticed how pale Edelgard seemed. She reached into a small sack she had with her and grabbed two baked sweets, putting them next to the bed with a smile before heading out. A little embarrassing, but they were good, and did help with the weird feeling.

It was just her and the guard for a while, but even he was quiet and seemed shifty. He probably was mentally preparing himself to see the king as well. 

Finally, there were footsteps and the clanking of armor. Was Dimitri coming with an entire battalion? The guard stood up straight at attention, his face turning red with sweat. Two other guards walked into her field of vision and motioned to him, and he left out of Edelgard’s sight. As a replacement, a giant in a suit of armor walked in front of the cell. The scars on his face and complexion meant it could only have been Dedue. His expression was vacant and not at anything in particular. The king entered with him.

Dimitri looked a lot better than the confrontation in the throne room. His hair was no longer matted and bloody, and was tied behind his head in a loose bun. His heavy cape that looked like a mane around his neck still remained, but his posture was way better. He had traded his jet black armor for one of silver and blue, and it made him look regal. However, the return of the shadow under his eye and new scruff on his chin still made him seem tired. Overall though, he seemed in higher spirits. Edelgard did not know why, but it was satisfying to see him better. Certainly a contrast to her current state.

A guard set down a stool and Dimitri sat down. Nobody spoke for a little while. Dimitri was the first one to talk.

“I’m king of Fodlan as a whole now.” He said bluntly.

An obvious statement at this point, but a lot came with it. Adrestia had fallen, and Claude must be completely out of the picture in one way or another. It also meant Dimitri had found himself at the end of the path she wanted for herself, unifying Fodlan under one ruler and getting to direct it’s future for the better. He had not attempted to end up as sole ruler, but there he was, where she should be. What a cruel twist of fate. He appeared to be waiting for an answer of sorts, so she just nodded and that seemed to be enough for him to go on. 

“I’m sorry for your current living situation.” He looked around the cell. “The truth is...if the citizens of Fodlan found out you were alive...they would kill you. Or me. Or both of us.” He attempted a weak smile, but it did not reach the rest of his face.

“Why keep me alive then? My journey is over. Let it end.” She had not wanted to talk, but she had to know.

“Don’t you know, El? You’re the only family I have left.” He said very seriously. 

Family? Clearly there was a lot she didn’t remember. Maybe family had a slightly different definition in the Kingdom.

At her confused face, he quickly followed up. “I’ll explain things later. When you are healthier. What you need to know now is very few people know you are alive. Myself and my inner circle are the only ones who know right now, which you would know as the former Blue Lions class. Of course all of my personal guard does as well, one of which is your current guard.” He paused politely, to let that information sink in. “Byleth is the only one from the Church who currently knows. She has ascended to the rank of archbishop in Rhea’s stead.” There was a hint of accusation in his voice there. Rhea had not been treated harshly, but certainly not kindly in Imperial captivity. It was obvious that the professor had been related to the goddess in some way after the incident with Solon, so her ascending to a high position in the church was not surprising either.

“Edelgard...with Byleth at the head of the church and myself as king, we will do what we can to make Fodlan stronger. I do not know exactly what path that will take, and do not think our beliefs will line up with yours, but we intend to make it a better place. Together.” He was blushing a little now. Could he and the professor be…? A question for later, and something important to consider in the plans ahead. 

“My council and I are currently figuring out how to deal with, well, you. I hope you use that time to figure out how you are going to deal with me. I will visit you again.” He looked very tired as he stood up from his seat. 

“Ah, yes one more thing. Lorenz of House Gloucester is on his way to Fhirdiad and has asked to speak to the highest surviving Imperial commander, along with myself. Right now that still means you.”

Lorenz...that traitor. Would he be coming to ask for good relations and kiss-up with the remaining Imperials after abandoning her cause? As much as she never wanted to see his disgusting face again, she relished the thought of his smug smile disappearing when he found out it was her he would be trying to kiss-up to. Ferdinand’s blood was on his hands. She nodded at Dimitri.

“I hope you are being treated well. Do not be afraid to share if that’s not the case.” Dimitri finished. Dedue picked up the stool and they started to leave.

“Dimitri?”

He turned back around, Dedue as well. She took a deep breath, she had already started this, may as well go through with it. Pride be damned.

“If possible, I would like to request a new guard.”

Silence.

Dimitri walked up to her cell.

“Has he touched or mistreated you? One of my men?” He walked up to the cell with a neutral expression, but that hunger in his eye had returned, the corners of his face scrunching up in frustration.

“It’s er, not a big deal, Dimitri. Never mind it.” His reaction had been surprising, and she wasn’t willing to let go of enough pride to admit how much of an annoyance her guard was. But he was obviously not convinced by her answer.

“One of my own...Dedue, what can I do if I can’t even trust my own guard to do as I ask?” He said, anger being replaced with a resigned sadness.

“You say it’s not much, El, but your expression seems to say something different. I will take off this guard tomorrow and find you a new one. In the meantime, I will leave you with the one man I truly trust in my guard.” he looked up at Dedue. Dedue looked very surprised.

“Your Highness, are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“I do, my friend. It will just be for tomorrow morning. You shall come down here very early tomorrow, and I shall meet back up with you when I return with Lorenz Gloucester tomorrow afternoon. I will station Edelgard’s current guard at the door to the dungeon instead of the individual cell tonight, and then...interrogate him tomorrow.” Something in his tone made it seem like he couldn’t or wouldn’t wait that long, but was saving face. 

“Goodnight, Edelgard.” Without waiting for a response, he left with Dedue in tow. She thought she heard yelling almost immediately after yet it did not bother her for long, as despite all the new knowledge in her head Edelgard finally fell asleep quickly for the first time in a long time.

\------------------------------------------

In the sunken city of Shambhala, someone was not sleeping nearly as well. Someone who felt the brunt of dark magic over and over again from many different sources, as well as the same question over and over. 

“How did you figure us out? How did you know about Shambhala?”

And every time the answer was the same, despite the pain that always followed it.

“I’ll never tell. My loyalties forever lie with the Empire...and with Lady Edelgard.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter we'll see a certain purple haired Golden Deer make his noble debut. Hope you liked the chapter and keep up with the next!


	4. Memories and Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edelgard learns more about two members of other houses, as well as someone from her own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Greetings readers, something to report! Class is starting again but chapters still should be out around weekly. Also as I finish shaping the story in these earlier chapters there's a chance the chapter total will go up or down one, but probably not. Hope you enjoy!

Edelgard woke up the next morning to her old guard gone and Dedue standing in front of her cell. If not for the light sound of his breath, he could have been easily mistaken for a statue. 

It made her feel strangely safe. Silently, she laid down on her pillow and stared up at the ceiling, thinking of Dimitri. It seemed the boy from their academy days really had overtaken the monster at Gronder. His mannerisms were polite and caring, even to her. Truly the perfect prince.

There was still darkness in there, but Edelgard had begun to suspect there always had been. It had just all poured out during the war, and most likely he would never fully push it back in. She felt she should have felt more guilt about it, with her war being the catalyst to his change. But what were the lives of all the downtrodden in Fodlan compared to one mentally scarred prince? She had made larger sacrifices before. Regardless, she had lost, so the question didn’t hold much merit anyway.

He had also referred to her as “family”. Whatever that meant, it showed how much she meant to him. Admittedly, she had been trying to understand, trying to reach into her memories of their friendship before the dagger. Fractured memories had shown up ever since he had given it back to her, yet any effort to consciously recover more since then had been fruitless, memories before the experiments were buried deep or gone. It always came back to those experiments, all of her problems. She sighed and put her head in her hands, unkempt white hair surrounding her face. As if she needed another reminder.

“Is everything all right?”

Dedue was looking at her now, his voice and expression remaining blank. Quickly she sat up, and parted her hair to look more put together, nodding her head. The man did not seem convinced, but also wasn’t the arguing type. He turned back around.

In the back of her head, she wished he had responded further. The silence was all too familiar, in a bad way. It was starting to drive her a little mad. She cleared her throat. No reaction. Oh well.

Despite her internal plea, things stayed silent until light footsteps echoed from up the stairs. Dedue straightened his posture, prepared. Edelgard caught her breath. It must be that bastard, Gloucester.

Nope, it was just one of Dimitri’s guard with her lunch, stepping carefully down the stairs. She breathed out. Dedue’s posture released slightly, and he spoke.

“Do you have word on His Highness’ arrival.”

Somehow Dedue made it a statement, not a question.

The guard looked at him, and took a step back. Why did he suddenly look so afraid?

“D-D-D-”

He ran back up the stairs, sending the tray crashing to the ground at Dedue’s feet. The large man stood silently for a moment and put his head down. Edelgard saw his eyes close. Then it hit her. Duscur. There was still lots of stigma here, even now. But it was usually anger, not fear. It seems Dimitri had unknowingly hired a coward. Not a mistake she would’ve made. Hubert would've seen to that.

“Apologies about the food.” 

Dedue had spoken again. With these words Edelgard wondered if she would finally see a crack in the man’s demeanor. Nope. He did walk out of her field of vision briefly, and returned with a large brown bag. He took two Noa Fruit out of it. 

“The loss of your food is my fault. Take these for now.”

It wasn’t an offer. He entered the cell and put the two fruits in front of her. After a moment’s wait, she picked one up and bit in. It was incredibly sweet, in a good way. The taste was oddly nostalgic, for some reason it made her think of picnics in Enbarr...and her father and oldest brother. Undiscovered memories flashed in her head, her father strong and happy, and her brother’s long brown hair and his booming laughter. She hadn’t forgotten his screams, just his laughter. She still couldn’t remember his face. 

As she worked on the fruit, Dedue observed. The memories flashed in and out rather quickly, and as the taste faded out of her mouth, they got blurry again. But they were still there. When she finished, Dedue’s expression was still neutral, but there seemed to be a hint of positivity in there for a split second. The fruit was admittedly a pleasant treat, so she decided to offer her thanks.

“Thank you for the food. It was...pleasant.”

He nodded in response, then turned around to go.

“Are you going to tell Dimitri what happened?” 

The question had come out somewhat quickly, yet it did not seem to even faze Dedue.

“No.” He didn’t even turn around. “He does not need that burden right now.”

Hubert had said the same thing to her, once. The answer had been frustrating then, and it was now. What good is a ruler if their retainers couldn’t even trust them? 

“In my Fodlan...no person wouldn’t have to hide terrible treatment from those in power. Nobody would. Anyone would have the power to stand up.” Dedue had probably heard parts of her manifesto in the past, and while a lot of it was admittedly shmuck to get the common people to comprehend the complexity of the situation, this part did ring true with her. It seemed right to quote here.

“His Highness has promised to make things right. I know he will. It will take time, but he will.” Edelgard didn’t quite know how to respond to that. 

_Your path will not be able to save them. It is the path of the strong, and so, it could only benefit the strong _, Dimitri had once said. She had struggled with an answer then too.__

__Luckily for her she didn’t have to now. A guard was coming down the stairs. This guard was dressed in faded purple armor. His eyes widened at the sight of Edelgard._ _

__Following him was King Dimitri...and Lorenz Gloucester. Lorenz seemed to be in the middle of talking to, or probably at, Dimitri. He stopped abruptly as he met Edelgard’s eyes, mouth caught agape._ _

__“I brought tea.” Dimitri said with a smile._ _

__\--------------------------------------_ _

__That’s how the King of Faerghus, a man of Duscur, the former Adrestian emperor, and noble from old Leicester territory sat around a table in the dungeons below Fhirdiad, sipping tea and eating sweets like it was a casual gathering. Everyone here had tried to kill at _least _one of the other people before, but that didn’t matter now. To Edelgard’s dismay, Lorenz had recovered quickly from his moment of shock and chastised Dimitri for not letting him know so he could be more put together. He proceeded to kiss her hand, of all things. He had not seen, or perhaps ignored, her dirty glances afterwards and had been extremely civil, his mood staying bright as ever. She did not want to be perceived as the only one pouting, so she buried her disdain deep inside and projected a closed off but not unkind demeanor as Lorenz talked and talked, until it all melted together._ _ __

__

__“...Met with fellow alliance nobles the other day...inquired after your health...Oh, we talked for a long time...Claude Von Riegan….My father...Wouldn’t you agree...I would be perfect to govern...This tea is divine...Of course...Back to the Empire...Ferdinand Von Aegir...”_ _

__

__Ferdinand? Wait. Edelgard snapped back into focus, anger already spilling over._ _

__

__“Keep Ferdinand’s name out of your mouth.”_ _

__

__The table went silent. Well, Lorenz did: Dimitri and Dedue did not seem to be paying much attention to his rambling either, now they sure were. Lorenz looked deeply offended for a moment and then sighed._ _

__

__“Ah, yes. I suppose I can’t blame you for that sentiment...Well I guess I had to get here eventually.”_ _

__

__He looked at Dimitri, cautiously. “I must admit the tale I’m about to tell is a bit...un-noble like to be telling in the presence of the king. It acknowledges the heroism of one who wanted you dead. Am I permitted to share?”_ _

__

__Hesitantly, Dimitri nodded, clearly a little flustered being put on the spot so quickly._ _

__

__“Very well.” He said, slowly putting his hand through his long, ridiculous hair. “I understand that to the Empire I seem like a terrible villain for betraying them and joining Faerghus. Many in Leicester saw me as a villain for joining the Empire in the first place. Unfortunately, the truth is the Kingdom should see me as a villain too.”_ _

__

__“When King Dimitri approached the Great Bridge, I initially wanted to flee and run away. Not very noble-like, I know. Once I saw the professor alive and leading it I knew we did not have a chance. I had started taking lessons with her class at the end of the academy year, and was hesitant to fight her for both her unmatched strength and our friendship, for lack of a better word. Not only that, but Dedue, long believed dead, showed up and further boosted Kingdom morale.”_ _

__

__Dedue looked surprisingly happy to be cited as the reason for morale, and Dimitri gave him a knowing smile, but Lorenz paid him no mind, and kept addressing Edelgard._ _

__

__“So I went to Ferdinand. We had become quite close companions in the time prior to the fight. We shared many beliefs on the current role of nobility in the world. I went to him and I told him we did not have a chance, that we were doomed. I was so childlike...I told him that I was going to run, and he should follow and save his life.”_ _

__

__“But that great man...he told me to put my chin up. He reminded me who I was, a noble. But even poor Ferdinand knew our defenses were unlikely to prevail. He told me that in battle, I should yield to the professor if things were hopeless. That I wasn’t bound to die for the Empire the same way he was. The professor would accept my surrender if I offered. My friend told me he had to win or die here for his country, yet if I had a chance to live I should.”_ _

__

__The man was tearing up now, reaching for a handkerchief embroidered with the Crest of Gloucester and dabbing his eyes. Edelgard was trying to stay mad at him, but the memory of Ferdinand made it difficult. It definitely did sound like him, a noble to the end who not only valued his position, but also the lives of his friends. It was hard to get underneath the pompous talk, but once one did it was easy to tell he was truly a good person at heart, unlike his father. Lorenz clearly had known him well. Perhaps him and Ferdinand were more alike than she thought._ _

__

__“Emperor...er...Edelgard. He entrusted me to have his body taken to former Aegir territory to be buried. I brought it with me. I’m here to get the approval of the King...and to pass the body by a high ranking Imperial for any posthumous titles.”_ _

__

__Oh no. Bile hit the bottom of Edelgard’s throat, which she quickly pushed back down. She had to regain her composure. Lorenz wanted her to look at Ferdinand’s body. His...body. That would be to face everything. She didn’t know if she could look back now. Face her demons again, now that all was lost. Lorenz looked sympathetically at her._ _

__

__“I could get someone else to do it…”_ _

__

__“No” She breathed, standing up and trying to look better than she felt. “I’ll do it.”_ _

__

__Lorenz smiled, and Dimitri nodded his head in approval. He called some more guards down, who flanked Edelgard. She knew it was a precaution but it still felt uncomfortable._ _

__

__And Edelgard went to finally see the light of day again, and the body of her friend._ _

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lorenz and Ferdinand deserve an A support. That's all.


	5. Death's Caress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Death is a hard thing to come to terms with. The experience of going to see a dead body brings other thoughts Edelgard would or should rather not be thinking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is Chapter 5, thanks to any and all readers for checking this fic out so far! Hope you enjoy!

Walking out of a dungeon is an underrated feeling. 

Maybe underrated isn’t the right word, but walking into the sun and crisp, cool Fhirdiad air after being incarcerated for so long was such a good feeling that Edelgard momentarily forgot the reason for leaving. She wanted to take a moment and breathe it all in.

Unfortunately she did not get that chance, her freedom was cut short quite quickly. Immediately after leaving the dungeon she was pushed into a very covered and private carriage. The reason was obvious, if anyone knew she was alive that shouldn’t, there would be big problems for both her and the king. Still, it was difficult to go inside again so soon. Dedue, Dimitri and Lorenz all entered behind her, and the horses started off. 

There were no other guards in the carriage, but the bounds on Edelgard’s hands were enough to keep imprisonment very much at the forefront of her mind. She would have sworn up and down to be the best prisoner in Fodlan if it meant she could just take a moment in private to just lie in the sun…Linhardt really had rubbed off on her. Once he had requested that she join him for a nap in the shade...it was indeed very relaxing, despite Hubert’s mulling in the background. Linhardt had tried afterwards to argue his case about staying off the battlefield, but she had turned him down due to his healing expertise being necessary. He had never wanted to fight. Edelgard sighed and put her head down. If the reports from Fort Merceus were true, after hearing of Caspar’s death Linhardt had acted irrationally for maybe the first time in his life. His body was said to be found next to the blue-haired boy, never to lounge with a book in the shade again. And apparently the one who had killed them both was...

Edelagard looked across the carriage. Dimitri was smiling at Dedue, in the middle of some conversation. It was still hard to process that this man was the same as the one nicknamed “The Tempest King” in battle, committing unspeakable atrocities to even foot soldiers. She had seen it herself at Gronder. On that fateful day in Enbarr however, he had shown her kindness, reaching out his hand, eye sparkling with hope. Even if she had fallen instead, the important thing was he had given her a choice. Caspar and Linhardt weren’t granted that privilege. The last thing they had seen was probably his ancient lance and the rage in his face. She had gotten a chance to live, why? Because she was the emperor? Because he considered her “family”? It just wasn’t fair. Their lives were worth just as much as hers, and were another casualty of the system she had tried to uproot. She wondered if she was betraying their memory by not protesting her imprisonment more. The thoughts weighed like the ghosts themselves were tugging on her clothes, pinning her to the seat. So many questions and so few answers.

As they rolled through the city, the sound of people crying out filled the carriage. Fhirdiad markets, news and children, but also people whooping, with cries of “Thank the goddess!” and “Savior King!” Even now, people were still celebrating? Well, Cornelia certainly had been far from respectful to the people of Fhirdiad. She (and her taxes) were necessary for the grand plan, but not....desirable as a member of the government. Then again, nobody in Those Who Slither In The Dark was planned to be a permanent political figure if everything had gone right. If she had won, maybe it would have taken a while, but the cries of “Savior Emperor” could have one day rung across these streets, when Cornelia was gone by _her _hand instead of Dimitri's. No, no use in thinking like that. Plus, "Savior Emperor" didn’t really roll off the tongue.__

____

“Are you alright, my lady? You look troubled.”

____

Lorenz had apparently been watching her, and it was probably easy to tell what types of thoughts had been going through her brain just from her facial expressions. She nodded, and looked sharply at the the boarded-up window to try and silently put an end to it. Just a day ago she had hated Lorenz with a raging passion, but now it was kind of nice to have him here. He felt more familiar than Dimitri or Dedue, at least.

____

They eventually got out of Fhirdiad, and ended up in a small camp just outside the city that Lorenz had set up. The carriage stopped right outside a tent, and even then Dimitri put a shawl over Edelgard and she was escorted very quickly inside. The tent seemed heavily guarded but was somewhat small, and in the middle was a long, brown box. Realization was quick, and things got quiet very quickly. Lorenz was taking breaths to prepare himself, and Edelgard could practically feel her heartbeat exploding out of her chest, her knuckles going white as she grasped at the edges of the simple red dress Mercedes had sewn. Nightmares were inevitable after this, that was certain, but that was also hardly something unfamiliar. Ferdinand needed her now, and she knew how to be strong. 

____

Dabbing at his eyes with that bright purple hankerchief, Lorenz pushed the lid of the box aside, trying to hide the fact that it was a little heavy for him by not-so-gracefully setting it on the floor. Edelgard took a breath and prepared herself to step forward. 

____

Ferdinand still looked noble in death. Not as much as he did in life of course, booming with brave words of war and nobility, and declarations of competition, and a tease or cup of coffee reserved for Hubert, and a way he looked at Dorothea every once in a while, and j---Edelgard took a deep breath, through the nose and out the mouth---and just...full of life. His long orange hair lay like a wreath around his head and neck, and his body been cleaned to the extent where the Sword of the Creator sized gash in his chest was almost unseeable. Seeing it made her feel a tiny bit dizzy herself in her weakened state, and she grabbed onto the edge of the coffin, closing her eyes and steadying herself.

____

“It’s not weak...if you need a second.”

____

The voice did not come from Lorenz, but Dimitri. He looked very resigned in the moment, yet was watching her carefully, resting an arm for support on Dedue’s body and squinting slightly, eye clouded with conflict.

____

“The dead...they can have a hold on you. When it feels like you could have done more...I know that feeling all too well. It ate away at me...and consumed me. It’s still there...even today. I’ll never fully atone for what that feeling made me want to do.”

____

So, Dimitri had ghosts as well. He looked weak, exposed but sounded strong. Edelgard knew what it took to conquer one’s demons. In that moment, it clicked why so many people saw Dimitri as their hero and Savior King, why people followed him in droves after he retook Fhirdiad. He was strong, and not just physically. What he may have forgotten at the moment was that death was not a new sight for Edelgard, far from it. Her ghosts were the people she once called her family, pushing her drive and willpower forward. His were most likely similar. 

____

“Dimitri…” She was caught in his potential sorrows for a moment, and how similar or different they may be to hers, but turned back to the body before he got a chance to respond.

____

Seeing Ferdinand’s body was very different for her then her experiences with family. Edelgard’s family had died when she was helpless, with no part in it and not much guilt, just a drive for revenge. The difference here was Ferdinands blood could be considered as much on her hands as anyone else's. Hearing about his death but not seeing anything at the time was different, her reaction was not as strong as it probably should’ve been due to the lack of a corpse, and thus made her feel stronger and more confident in her immunities to the tragedies of war. That led to a decision she thought she’d be better equipped to live with afterward at the battle of Gronder Field, and well, she had a lot to atone for too. The screams of a certain purple-haired archer as she caught aflame still rang in her head in the deep hours of the night. Were any of these deaths worth it, from her hands or the ones Dimitri was responsible for? It was hard to tell, and answers would be unlikely to show in the future too.

____

Taking another breath, she looked down at Ferdinand. She did not want him to be known forevermore as Duke Aegir-he was nothing like his father. She made a decision pretty quickly, and presented it to Lorenz and Dimitri.

____

“As former Emperor of Adrestia...I posthumously bestow the titles of Grand-Duke to Ferdinand Von Aegir.” She gave Dimitri a sad look. “I know he died as a traitor to your rule, but if the title could be recorded anywhere…”

He looked lost in thought. “We’ll find a way.”

That answer seemed to satisfy Lorenz too. “Was he very religious?” He asked.

“He believed, as was his duty...but not much more.”

____

Lorenz nodded. “I will ask the new archbishop to visit briefly then, before he goes home. Hopefully she accepts.”

____

Dimitri looked up at the sky, a new calmness settling in on his face. “I’m sure she will.”

____

\------------------------------------------------------------------

____

____

The journey back was a little bumpy and claustrophobic, but Edelgard slept well once she got to her room. She woke to Mercedes smiling cheerfully and dealing the daily dose of healing magic. Instead of dreams being filled with Ferdinand’s ghost, they were of Dimitri, on his knees at her feet, looking up at her with tears in his eyes. She had woken up feeling awful. It was true that Dimitri’s lance had struck down Linhardt and Caspar, but if she had won she would have struck down any of his friends on her path to victory. She had almost struck down him, through Corneia’s sentencing. Was it really fair to judge him based on the lives he’s taken? There was a lot to think about.

____

Luckily a guard was coming with her lunch, so she could at least think about something else for a little. It seemed to be the same guy who dropped his tray at the sight of Dedue, due to the fact that he looked shakily around the corner before walking down, obviously calmer. Dedue sure was imposing, but he definitely didn’t deserve that fear. Some people liked to get that sort of response, but Dedue obviously was not one of them.

____

Mercedes was humming along to some song merrily as she motioned the man forward. Again, a creeping sense of guilt flashed through Edelgard’s mind, that of the fact that she most likely would not have even hesitated to strike the gentle nurse down on the battlefield. Mercedes’ light pat on her shoulder before she went to grab the food just made the feeling worse, as Edelgard felt flushed from the simple yet caring motion, even by the time Mercedes was at the cell door.

____

And that’s when it happened.

____

In one swift movement, the tray dropped again. Instead in its place was a silver, curved dagger that was now in Mercedes' side. The world stopped for a moment as the guard and Mercedes stood still, with a feeling of something being caught in Edelgard’s throat building quickly. Then the dagger came out, and the guard was running toward the bed, the dagger pointed at her this time. He jumped on the bed, smiling shrewdly as he lowered the dagger toward her throat, she sat up and grabbed his arm, trying to push him away, glaring at him. The look in his eyes, no...he could only be one of them. 

____

She was in a weak state and was beginning to lose ground. The dagger was almost pressing against her now...but the man started to fall back, choking at nothing. Through shaky breaths, Edelgard looked behind him, and saw a pale hand outstretched. Mercedes was on the floor, but her head was up and she was casting some sort of spell, with an expression so fierce it looked terribly wrong on the woman. Quickly, Edelgard deduced the spell: Nosferatu. Draining the enemy’s health to keep herself able to cast...a very smart move. Perhaps she had been wrong to judge Mercedes as just a merry nurse. The man was reeling, and Edelgard saw her opportunity. She reached for the handle of the dagger, and wrestled it free-then shoved it into his chest. He slumped and fell on top of her, lifeless. Mercedes was now facedown on the floor too. Ears ringing and vomit building, Edelgard screamed.

____


	6. What Makes Up A Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An assassination attempt brings Edelgard back to the real world. There she must deal with difficult circumstances while learning disturbing truths.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 6 is here! It's a little later than usual (thanks midterms) but it's also definitely the longest yet. Hope you enjoy!

Everything changed after the attempt on Edelgard’s life.

First off, after screaming for what felt like forever, she had passed out. Secondly, once she had woken up, she was no longer in her cell. Instead she was in a moderately sized room, adjourned with the flag of Faerghus. The room was quite fancy, with a large wooden bookshelf that was completely full on one wall, and a large window-side desk aside the other. Beneath her feet was a gray rug that covered up the entirety of the floor.  
Next to the door, there was a large, imposing statue. Maybe to scare people off? It sure was realistic, covered head to toe in armor except for the head. What an odd room.

Slowly, the events in the cell came crashing back. A man had tried to kill her. One of them had. Mercedes...where was Mercedes? Edelgard sat up in the bed, squinting from just waking up.

“You are awake.”

Who said that, was it Mercedes? Impossible, it was a man's voice...she could have sworn it was the statue. Ah, wait. That was no statue, it was Dedue. How out of it was she? 

Dedue looked at her with an emotion that could be considered concern on his face, walking over. He got to the bed Edelgard was in, and stopped, casting a shadow on her and giving her a good look at his face. It was scarred and rigid, yes, but his eyes...they were soft and kind. How could she have ever thought this man was imposing? Eyes always betray the inner feelings. Hubert and her had spent many an evening before Garreg Mach practicing to make their eyes a reflection, not revealing the secrets that lied beneath: her eyes had been slightly visible through the mask of the Flame Emperor, making this of utmost importance. Edelgard had also made a point of paying attention to the eyes of fellow schoolmates, taking note of the venom hiding in Dimitri’s and the hopeless enigma that was Claude’s. She must have never gotten close enough to Dedue to see the softness in his. She had so many questions for him now...what to even start with?

“Mercedes?”

One word was all she needed to get what she was feeling across. Admittedly, the fact that the victim came to mind before the attacker was out of character for her, especially when the assassin was most definitely associated with _them_. She saw the softness harden in Dedue’s eyes as he answered. 

“She is fighting.”

The words made the stress rise up in her throat. The tone of his voice made it seem like it was a losing battle.

“I have to see her.”  
She tried to make her voice sound commanding, despite it’s unfamiliar quiver. In another lifetime, people would be tripping over themselves to make her words come to pass. Not Dedue.

“I’m afraid not. His Highness has put your protection as top priority. I intend to respect that.”

Edelgard had sworn off begging. In the cells of Enbarr, she had begged enough for a lifetime. She would not beg Dedue. But she would find a way to see Mercedes, that she knew. She could not stand up to him, he clearly dwarfed her, so that would not help. She almost considered standing on a chair and speaking down to him that way, but that would be quite childish. Besides, something told her no matter what this was a battle of control she could not win. How could she get the man to understand?

She’d have to speak to the heart. Admittedly not a strong point. But not impossible. There was certainly at least one person that Dedue held close, and she could work with that.

“Dimitri...you owe him your life, don’t you?” She tried.

“Yes.” She had his attention now. A crack in the armor.

“Mercedes saved me. I owe her my life too. She held off the assassin so I could take his dagger and put it through his heart.” Saying it out loud choked her up a little. She could still see the assassin’s shrewd smile as clear as day. Something about a smile was extremely terrifying. She had once had an assassin of her own, named Metodey, who also had one of the most terrifying smiles she’d ever seen. Dimitri’s mad smile in the Holy Tomb was certainly up there, and Hubert had a habit of cruel smiles as well. Edelgard preferred not to smile. “I need to see her, Dedue.”

Dedue was silent, thinking.

“There is a way. You may find it unpleasant...would you still want to?”

“Yes.” Unpleasantness was an old friend.

“Very well. His Highness had a suspicion you would ask this of me, and told me to follow through if it seemed you really meant it.” Ugh, Dimitri. “It seems you do. Hold on.”

Dedue briefly left the room and came back with a large looking bag. Was she going to have to be smuggled through the castle halls in a bag? Apparently not, as he took pieces of armor out. He put them down on the desk by the window, including a large helmet, customary to Faerghus. 

“Put this on over your clothes. Hide your hair under the armor.”

Not too complicated. “This is not that unpleasant.”

“This is not the unpleasant part.”

Edelgard put the armor on slowly and weaved her hair through the high collar, finishing with the helmet that seemed a little too large. Dedue adjusted it to an angle covering the violet of her eyes.

“Follow me. Watch my feet. Keep your eyes covered”

The plan seemed like something out of Claude Von Riegan’s handbook, not necessarily Dimitri’s, but Edelgard put her head down and went along with it, staring at Dedue’s feet. As they left the room and walked down the halls, she heard other guards come and go in formation with her, oblivious to her true identity. It almost felt like being the Flame Emperor again. 

Dedue twisted and turned down endless silver and blue carpeted hallways and staircases, Edelgard following dutifully. Even with her limited scope she could appreciate the beauty of the castle. While the palace in Enbarr was tall and warm, with the sun filtering in to keep it bright, the inside of this castle was dark and cool, with its own reserved beauty. The bottoms of large tapestries were sometimes visible, most likely portraying the founding of Faerghus by the King of Lions. After many carpeted stairs and floors, Dedue came to a stop. 

“We are at the private infirmary. Once you hear me close the door, you may remove your helmet.” He said, quietly.

She heard the sound of a door opening and Edelgard followed his feet in.

“Dedue! You came” A teary sounding female voice cried out. Mercedes must at least be conscious, which was a good sign. The door closed behind her. Edelgard removed her helmet, and when she looked up in the infirmary the silence was deafening, despite the crowded room in front of her.

“I-It's the Emperor!” Ashe Ubert said, finally breaking the silence and taking a step back with an intimidated look on his face.

This is what Dedue meant by unpleasant. Being surrounded by the people who she had fought to the death with merely weeks prior. 

Ashe was putting on a brave face now, and standing upright, a paleness remaining. Close to him were Sylvain Gautier and Ingrid Galatea, both with a cool look on their faces as they summed her up. Felix Fraldarius had a dirty look on his, in the corner with Annette Dominic behind him, sniffling softly. Lorenz was also here, with a sympathetic half-smile on and a teacup in his hand shaking ever-so-slightly. They looked like an odd family of sorts.

Well it could be worse. Neither the dragonspawn nor Knights of Serios were present.

Dedue broke her thoughts. “As you know, Mercedes was struck as the assassin attempted to reach her target. What you may not know is Mercedes also saved Edelgard’s life. So she wanted to visit, and I brought her here with His Highness’ blessing.”

“Oh...Mercie...” Annette said, still barely holding back sobs. “Always thinking of others…”

A small silence filled the room afterward. The last time they had seen her she had been a monster, encased in the Hegemon Husk, so the standoffishness was to be expected. Well, that and the fact they had been at war for the better part of the last six years.

“You are welcome to try and see her.” Lorenz said softly, filling the silence and motioning to the other side of the infirmary. “Unfortunately the healers are hard at work, meaning seeing her face to face.”

Quietly, she walked toward the part of the infirmary that was blocked off. Several feet were visible below the curtain, moving back and forth with murmurs accompanying them. If it truly was an Agarthian blade the healers wouldn’t have much luck, but one could hope. Edelgard walked up to the curtain and tried to peek through, not being able to see much. To come all this way to not even be able to see was disappointing to say the least. Instead, she pressed her face against it.

“Mercedes, if you can hear me...I’m sorry. And thank you. I...pray for your health.”

Edelgard did not have much faith in the Goddess, or faith that she was real in the first place. But the words were reassuring to say nonetheless.

When she turned back around, all eyes were still on her. 

“You’re the king’s blessing, huh?” Felix said, with a slight scowl on his face.

Ingrid turned to give him a glare. “Felix! Let’s not do this right now!”

“Oh trust me, I’m not blaming her or anything. It wasn’t her choice to stay alive.” He said, scowl deepening. His amber eyes bore into Edelgard’s soul.

“We all were there when His Highness made the decision, pal. Kinda tough to put it all on him.” Sylvain said, moving a hand behind his head in a semi-casual gesture. “Although you’ve got a point.”

Ingrid’s face had turned quite the shade of red. “Both of you, insufferable!” Sylvain put both hands up and took a step back. “I really thought you and His Highness were making progress, Felix. Of all people, you should understand wanting to save your family!” she finished. Felix’s face turned red and gave her a sharp look, but he did not say anything. After quite a tense moment he conceded, turning toward Annette with a “Hmph”. 

Family...there it was again. Would it be out of place to ask them what they meant? 

“I agree with Ingrid.” Ashe said softly in the corner. “If I had the chance to save any of my family...I would too.”

Dedue grunted in agreement, and even the look on Sylvain’s face was suddenly serious. Faerghus sure had tumultuous familial relationships. Edelgard had lost one of her own family here, her mother in the Tragedy of Duscur. 

“The Death Knight…” Annette was saying, “Mercie wanted to save him more than anything…”

The room looked at her again. Jeritza...  
“Well, Miklan at least deserved to die.” Sylvain finally cut in, and Ingrid put a reassuring hand on his back. “But I suppose a ‘little girlfriend’ step-sister worthy of a love dagger would be closer than an asshole disowned brother, despite any conquering tendencies. No offense.” He ended offhandedly.

Edelgard hadn’t heard anything after “love dagger.” Sylvain had meant her when referring to step-sister. Was this why her mother did not return from Faerghus and died in the Tragedy? This made both no sense and too much sense, and she quickly felt her composure breaking down. 

“I-I need to sit down.” She murmured as the Blue Lions kept talking. Luckily Lorenz heard her and ran to grab her arm, bringing her to a seat. This caught the attention of the rest. 

“I really did mean no offense, even if it’s true.” Sylvain said sheepishly. 

“You always find a way to say the wrong thing, don’t you.” Ingrid shot back.

“I don’t...” Edelgard tried to get the words out. “I didn’t…” 

Annette seemed to catch on, worry for her best friend momentarily forgotten. “Uh, guys! I don’t think she knew!”

“No way.” Ashe said, eyes widening. “Really?”

Edelgard nodded her head. The others looked at each other, clearly unsure how to handle such a situation. Felix looked as if he was about to say something, but a glare from Ingrid made him clearly change his mind.

“It seems like you and Dimitri still have some stuff to work out.”

Everybody turned toward the door. Standing there was now the professor, looking radiant as ever. The old black mercenary outfit was gone, replaced for one fitting a new archbishop, an elegant white robe intercut with blues and greens. She looked not dissimilar to the Immaculate One when she chose to don her deceitful human disguise.

“Professor, you’re here!” Annette cried out, breaking down all over again. Byleth smiled and embraced the short girl, patting her back. After taking a moment to greet everybody in the room, curtly nodding to Edelgard, she walked over to the curtain in which Mercedes was behind and whispered something to the other side. After holding her ear up for a second, she walked back to where the students were congregated.

“I am sorry I was not here sooner. I’m very busy working with the king to find out more about this plot. The only reason I had time to stop by is to update him on her condition. Already I must leave, and for that I am truly sorry.”

She turned to Edelgard.

“It seems you have much to ask Dimitri. Would you like to accompany me to meet him? No Agarthian would dare approach me. Dedue will come too.” 

Meekly, Edelgard nodded, and after donning her helmet and murmuring a half-hearted goodbye to those in the room, she and Dedue followed the professor out.

Edelgard had always wanted to walk with Byleth, and the irony of walking with her to see Dimitri was not lost on her. The walk was silent, the professor had never been the talkative type. When they stopped after many more blue carpeted floors, Edelgard removed the helmet to see what appeared to be a room for war meetings. Tables lined the walls, and it was completely empty, except for a figure at the other end. Byleth put her hand on Edelgard’s shoulder.

“I’m afraid I was not completely honest with everyone earlier. I couldn’t give them more negative news at this time. I am indeed working with the king, but...not yet on the plot. You’ll see.”

They approached the figure at the wall. His head was down. 

“Dimitri?” Byleth cooed. 

Dimitri turned around, and it was easy to see what Byleth meant. He looked haggard. A shadow had re-formed under his eye, and his face was sunken. The loose bun in his hair had previously been tied in was messy and undone, and his hands were clenched and shaking. 

“Your Highness.” Dedue said.

“Dedue, Professor...I missed you. Edelgard, I’m...I’m glad you are well.” 

So Dimitri wasn’t feral. Not yet, at least. He seemed to be teetering on the edge. 

His eye squinted as he looked at her. “Those bastards will pay for what they’ve done. I’ll kill them all. I swear it on my father’s lance.”

“Dimitri...We’ve talked about this. Your rage is getting strong...I don’t want it to consume you again.” Byleth pleaded at him, grabbing a hand and holding it. 

“My personal guard, Byleth! How long had they been there? Where else are they? If they had gotten Edelgard, if Mercedes passes...it’s on my hands. I couldn’t protect them. I’m not fit to be king.”

Once upon a time seeing Dimitri at his lowest had repulsed Edelgard. More monster than man. Now it was just awful. She knew what it was like to have insecurities about ruling. She had ten siblings after all, and never was supposed to be the one on the throne. Byleth was at his side now, saying reassuring words that seemed to bounce right off. He seemed calmer.

Which meant now was the time to ask him.

“Dimitri. You are my step-brother, aren’t you?”

He looked at her, not looking surprised at all that she knew.

“I am. When you stayed in the Kingdom...your mother married my father. She cared for me too, or so I thought.” There was venom in his voice. Edelgard heard her heartbeat in her chest at the confirmation and the ambiguous ending.

“What do you mean? Dimitri...Please, tell me everything. I need to know, I need to remember!” She had not expected the words to come off as so desperate.

His face was pointed at the ground. “You don’t know what you're asking me to tell you. What you are asking to learn. Once I tell you the whole of it you may wish you had not.”

“I am no stranger to unpleasant truths!”

“You say that...and yet you don’t tell anyone else yours! Am I really supposed to believe you’ve merely forgotten all of the time we spent together simply over time? Something else is going on here, and I need to know too!”  
“That doesn’t relate to this at all! I simply want to learn more about my family!”

“Me too! My family is _you_ , El!”

“Both of you...please.” Byleth intercepted wearily. Edelgard knew how Dimitri felt, but sharing the truth...it was scary. Maybe he felt the same, but it was truth about her he was withholding. Maybe about her mother, for the goddess’ sake!

“Do you hear that?” Dedue asked softly, head toward the ceiling.

All of them went silent. Bells were ringing in the distance. Slow bongs, reverberating from all directions. Church bells.

“What…” Dimitri started.

A knock at the door. Dedue went to answer it. After what felt like an excruciatingly long wait, he returned.

“She’s passed on.” He said, simply.

Silence. Edelgard felt the vomit before it came out. No matter what Dimitri said, this was on her. It felt awful.

“No…” Dimitri whispered. “No, no, NO!” A loud smash and suddenly his fist was halfway through the wall. “I will NOT…I do NOT....I can’t….no…”

He removed his arm and collapsed on the floor, tears streaming out of his eye and leaking from his eyepatch. Without thinking, Edelgard walked over and slumped down next to him, looking at nothing in particular. He was family, after all. She tried to cry herself, nothing. She could not cry anymore. Dedue stood across from her, looking down at the ground and closing his eyes.

Byleth knelt down and put his head on her lap, closing her own eyes as her tears dropped slowly onto Dimitri’s face. She stroked his hair.

“Byleth...please....I don’t want to hear them again....help me...”

Byleth audibly swallowed down a sob, then took a deep breath. 

“I’ll sing that song for you, Dimitri. Would you like that?”

“...please…”

Byleth closed her mouth, and next time she opened it her voice sounded simply ethereal. 

♫♩“In time’s flow...see the glow of flames ever burning bright…” ♩♫

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Where the Metodey fans at? Just me...ok. Also everybody in 3H needs a hug. Well, maybe besides Metodey.


	7. The World Still Spins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Dimitri figures out how to move forward, Edelgard struggles with settling into her life as a prisoner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello readers! This chapter is a bit on the shorter side, but hope you still enjoy!

The procession was small. Which honestly made things worse.

Edelgard had considered herself lucky that she even was able to attend. But she had asked Dimitri and Byleth repeatedly until they finally relented. Now Dedue was next to her as she stood in the very back of a courtyard, not to draw attention or controversy to herself. Back in the very early days of the war, she would force herself to walk around and look at the injured and dead, a reminder of the price of the fight and a drive to succeed. Once the inevitability of war and desperation started to kick in, it seemed...impractical. 

The coffin was being carried down slowly, by Byleth and Dimitri, although he easily could have on his own. It was silent save for some sniffles, and some a bit louder which surely belonged to Annette. Dedue had told her in private that this may not be the final resting place for Mercedes, she had wanted to be buried with her half-brother. Where that would be was still to be a mystery, as apparently he was in a temporary grave near Fort Merceus, given a burial by just his sister and only a few Blue Lions. Caspar and Linhardt were also buried there, but the controversy for burying them must have been way less. The Death Knight was cruel. Byleth was now saying some words, and down the box went.

The Blue Lions were all here, and while they hadn’t been overtly unkind, they did not acknowledge her presence, besides Dimitri and Dedue. Not even those two were the ones she considered even the closest thing to a companion. No, In a twist of fate Lorenz had now become her closest ally in Fhirdiad. Whether he was doing it for Ferdinand’s memory, or he found some in cozying up to the disgraced emperor, Edelgard did not mind. She had been used to a pair of footsteps behind her, and while Lorenz was certainly no Hubert, he was nice to have around. He even occasionally kept her company in her new room in the castle, being a guard in all but name. 

Lorenz had told her that the archbishop had summoned Professors Hanneman and Manuela to the capital to help use magic as well as novel medical practices to evaluate the perpetrator’s body and weapon. Apparently under the Immaculate One, many medical procedures had been shunned because they threatened the church’s grip...or something. How shocking. Byleth had so far proven her worth as an archbishop. Apparently they were even working on using blood tests to try and hire and maintain a new personal guard. Edelgard hoped Dimitri would never ask for her to be blood tested...she had dealt with more than enough blood transfusions for a lifetime.

Dimitri and her had not really talked since they received the news of Mercedes’ death--Dedue had to carry him back to his quarters after Byleth managed to sing him to sleep that afternoon, which was quite the sight to behold--however in a brief visit afterwards he said he would come to her to talk after the procession. 

Dedue had been assigned to guard her most of the time, Dimitri trusted no man more. He still accompanied the king to important events, rotating then with the former Knight of Serios, Gilbert. Apparently he was the only other member of Dimitri’s guard that he trusted with his life. Both were stern and quiet, but at least Dedue had started to talk a little bit. She had wanted him to fill the void, the inescapable silence was deafening. He still did not talk often, sometimes bringing books for her and himself instead, but when he did talk he talked about Duscur. Something akin to a smile would form on his face when he described day-to-day things, such as making food or taking a walk. Dimitri had blamed her for the Tragedy of Duscur at one time, and that had hurt quite a bit. 

If it was her who had organized the Tragedy of Duscur, it would not have been as sloppy. All members of the royal family would have had top priority to be eliminated. Well, except her mother. She had to remember now, her mother was part of the royal family for a time. 

Sometimes she kicked herself for considering Lorenz, Dedue, or any of these people even close to companions. She was still a prisoner. Why did it feel less awful then it should to talk with Lorenz or feel satisfying when Dedue caved and talked about his home? She'd heard of changes of heart like this happening to prisoners, but never thought it would happen to her. Especially after her experience in the cells of Enbarr. She still swore to herself that if a path to freedom arose, she would take it. That did not seem likely, however.

After the ceremony was over, Dedue turned to walk her back to her room. She had gotten a chance to see the body briefly at least, despite still being ignored by the other attendees. Mercedes had looked very peaceful, much like Ferdinand had. Poor Ferdinand…

They had just walked out of the courtyard when a choking sound from somewhere behind her tore her out of her thoughts and made her whirl around. Dedue, as well with an arm in front of her. 

A man who looked like an Alliance merchant was choking on nothing in particular, reaching for her. He had not gotten very close until the giant golden lance protruding from his stomach had gotten to him, as well as two massive cuts on his legs. He must have jumped the line of soldiers guarding the path, and been caught by the king. In an act of unfathomable strength, Dimitri whirled the lance and the body impaled on it over his head in an arc and smashed it onto the ground, putting his foot down on the man’s groin, causing him to audibly groan.

“Who are you!” He yelled through clenched teeth.

“I..Knew....It...Your...Majesty....” The man forced out, looking at Edelgard.

His labored breath came to a stop, his head slumping over. Dimitri cursed and removed his lance, putting it over his shoulder. Thank the goddess he always carried it. 

The man’s attempt was not even close to successful. It was then she noticed: A member of Dimitri’s guard was lying on the ground. Dimitri was carefully searching the body of the perpetrator, and the Blue Lions ran up to check on him and help out. He found a handkerchief. He looked at it silently, as Felix scoffed and turned around. The handkerchief was red and black, with the eagle of Adrestia embroidered on it. Dimitri walked up to Edelgard and Dedue. 

“We’ll talk shortly. Dedue, come with me, I’ll send El with Gustave. There’s something we have to attend to first.”

\-------------------------

“That man was an imperial sympathizer!”

Ingird’s face was flushed, and the tears in her eyes were still for Mercedes and now also concern for her childhood friend.

“How could he know she’s here?” Sylvain added with a shrug, cutting off Lorenz who seemed about to say the same thing.

Felix joined in. “The man jumped a line of soldiers. Chances are he didn’t know, and was just a damn conspiracy theorist. It doesn’t matter now though. He’s dead.” 

“He killed that knight…” Ashe said, determination crossing his face. “For his sake, we must find justice!”

“Avenging the dead can lead you down quite a dangerous path, if we all haven’t already forgotten.” Felix grunted again.

“Enough!” Dimitri cried out. He put his head in his hands. Did his father have such a volatile council when he ruled? They were getting nowhere. Mercedes had always been the voice of positivity, and now she was gone.

“I just want this all to be over...” Annette sniffled in the corner. All gave her a sympathetic look and Byleth moved to rub her shoulder. All was silent for a moment. When Ingird broke the silence, she was a lot calmer.

“We made the choice to spare her. We supported you, your Highness, and I don’t regret that. But we lost one of our own. Where do we draw the line?”

“Are you suggesting I kill her? She’s my family!” Dimitri answered, and the room was silent. “Have we really started to think trading lives is the answer?”

“You were prepared to kill her before.” Felix responded. “Before Enbarr.”

“That was different. I said I would kill her if I must, and I did not have to. I promise you all, keeping her alive is for the common good.” He tried a small smile. “I believe she can help us find information of the perpetrators of the Tragedy of Duscur.”

“Talk to Edelgard again then, boar. Get her to talk. But make sure you remember that your loyalties lie with Faerghus, not her.”

Felix was crass, as always, but Dimitri could tell the words were coming from a place of genuine concern. Everybody was on edge. Dimitri needed something to raise their spirits, to improve morale. What type of celebration could he throw? He looked at Byleth, and took a deep breath, playing with the ring on his finger nervously.

\-----------------------

It was late when Dimitri came into Edelgard’s room. He came in with Dedue and sat down. His face had a surprisingly bright look on it, considering the funeral earlier that day.

“I need you to tell me the truth.”

Straight to the point then. She didn’t know where to start, and was silent.

“I suppose I’ll start. Those Who Slither in the Dark were responsible for the Tragedy of Duscur, but you already knew that. We have reason to believe...your mother was involved too.” 

He spit the words out like it was physically painful to say.

So that’s why Dimitri had been so offhand about his stepmother. She was prepared to tell him there was no way her mother could do that, to feel angered and outraged by the accusation, but the truth was the words did not really affect her. She could not really remember her mother. Instead of a rash anger, it was a sinking feeling in her stomach that started to form. If Dimitri was surprised by the lack of reaction he did not show it.

“I did not want to fight alongside them.” She said, quietly. Of all things, she hoped he believed this. “They were...a means to an end for me. Enemies of the church. Hubert and I were working to eliminate them in secret.”

At this news, Dimitri’s eye widened. “Tell me what you know, so we can hunt them down and kill them.” The ghost of a grin showed on his face.

She squinted back at him. “Not enough. Hubert helmed the research, and what remains is still in Enbarr. If that would even be enough. Even if it was, he always made sure nobody would be able access his work in the case of his death. There is probably a seal.”

This made him stop for a moment. “Byleth and I have conquered every obstacle in our path so far. We’ll just have to find a way to get through this one then too, don’t we.” He continued, undeterred. 

Research on Those Who Slither in the Dark were not the only things of note Hubert had supposedly kept in his lab. If she could convince Dimitri to let her go to Enbarr, even among a crew or heavily guarded, maybe the path to freedom would be possible after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is probably both the first and last time there will be a non-Edelgard pov, although who knows for sure. Next chapter will be a bit more lighthearted. Hope everyone is staying safe!


	8. The Final Dance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A big night for Dimitri is an average one for Edelgard. However, that may be subject to change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is Chapter 8! Finals are starting to approach for me, so the next few updates may be a bit more inconsistent on this fic, but hopefully not too much. Hope you enjoy!
> 
> edit: fixed some typos

After the procession, security got even tighter around Edelgard. Understandably so, but it still hurt to see the big window in her castle room boarded up, and the sunlight disappear along with it. At least Dedue was around more, and he was about as reassuring of a guard as one could get.

Dimitri came to visit more often now. It was evident he was planning something big and working for long hours, as the circle under his eye seemed to sink more and more every time he visited. Edelgard could only hope that if he was planning a trip to Enbarr he would see the sense in bringing her along, although the recent attacks made that seem less and less of a possibility. Despite that, his mood seemed surprisingly upbeat. One day, he let spill why.

“El, I simply can not keep this a secret much longer, so I’m telling you. I’m getting married! ” 

With an uncharacteristic grin on his face he put his hand up to show a simple yet beautiful ring, white with small orange, blue and purple highlights on the front. Edelgard did not need to ask who it was. The chemistry between Dimitri and Byleth was very obvious.

“Congratulations.” Edelgard said curtly. Dedue was smiling proudly in the corner, the biggest one she’d ever seen on his face. 

“I would have liked you to witness the ceremony, but with current tensions and the attempts on your life, things are…”

“I understand.” She was actually quite content with this. While she was happy for her step-brother, and could put on a happy face and act like a good prisoner for a few hours if it meant seeing the sky, listening to some priest go on about joining hands for the will of the goddess and whatnot honestly made her want to puke. Not to mention many of Knights of Serios would most likely be travelling in bulk to attend. Ugh.

“Trust me, we would wait longer until things cooled down, but we wanted to do it now. Something nice for the public, and… yes, indeed, that.”

It was clear he was going to say something else, but stopped himself.

“And…?” She tried.

“And other reasons.” His emotions were unreadable behind his eye. “Another thing. Dedue will be attending, so I will also need to work on finding a different guard for you. It may be difficult, but not impossible.” 

With that he got up to leave.

“Send Byleth my regards.” She said quietly.

Dimitri nodded and quietly left the room, cape flowing behind him.

\------------------

Dimitri was not wrong when he said he would find a guard, but she could not have imagined who would be the one to walk through her door when the time came. She had expected a heavy fortress knight like Dedue, but that was not it all.

The worst case scenario was, of course, a Knight of Serios. Like usual, the worst case scenario came true. But maybe that wasn’t as bad as it could be. Instead of the loud Alois or mighty Thunderstrike Catherine it was Shamir Nevrand who traded off with Dedue the day of the wedding. She did not even say as much as a hello, and stood next to the door, seeming to be interested in both everything and nothing.

Back in the days of the academy, even Hubert had respected the threat of Shamir. She was more of an assassin then a knight, and her aim was deadly to all. Edelgard had once wondered if it was possible to coax Shamir to their side, as she would be a valuable asset due to her shaky-at-best loyalty to the knights, but the charms of the professor made even the idea of that impossible, as it did for just about everybody else in Fodlan. But, well, who could blame them? Even Edelgard had wished not to make an enemy out of the Ashen Demon. 

But Shamir as a guard? The purpose of a guard wasn’t usually to pose more of a danger than an attacker would.

She must have been observing Shamir closely, as the assassin turned her own head and shot a quick glance toward Edelgard while squinting her eyes.

“I’m not much for celebration.” 

That was all she said until she became tight lipped again and put her attention elsewhere. Edelgard hadn’t even needed to ask the question, although she supposed it was quite an obvious one. Still, silence had become a scary place, so she decided to have another go.

“So, are you still…” She started.

“I’m here to guard you. Not to chat.” 

“I’m just curious about the knights… and who knows I’m alive.” Hopefully that would get her to talk a little. She was honestly not super curious about the knights, but information was information, and she also did not expect Shamir to want to talk about anything else anyway.

“Not my problem. I’m certainly not telling anyone.”

She sure was a tricky one to budge. Even Dedue would talk if you knew what to say. Things stayed in an uncomfortable silence for a few moments.

“I have a question for you.” Surprisingly it was Shamir breaking the silence now.

“Er...yes?”

“I won’t pretend to know much about the crazy war you started. I do wonder one thing, from a purely tactical standpoint. Why keep Rhea alive?”

Edelgard was happy to explain her ideals to anyone who would listen, and almost did after hearing the words “crazy war” but this [articular question was hard to answer. Not that it didn’t have one, but answering it would be...shameful. How could she say that she submitted to the requests of the very people Shamir was guarding against? Rhea’s blood had been used to strengthen those Agarthians and their demonic beasts, and if she admitted that now she would look like a bumbling fool for willingly strengthening her enemies.

“Well...To cause confusion amongst the knights.” Hopefully that would pass, it wasn’t entirely wrong. The best lies had a hint of truth in them.

“You’re lying.” The assassin almost gave a smile. “But I won’t push.”

Perceptive. And challenging. But Edelgard knew how to choose her battles, and this one was a losing one.

Edelgard decided to read one of the books on the shelf while passing the time, as Shamir pulled up a chair near the door and sharpened her weapons, always alert. Finding time to read had always been difficult, stories had never been Edelgard’s forte, but she found an interesting looking book on the shelf about history and politics in the founding of Faerghus, next to one about some brave knight. She preferred history books to those knight’s tales, despite the depth history books in Faerghus probably went to describe her ancestors’ defeat. 

One memory she held onto before the experiments was of one of her sisters, who had loved to read, especially fairy-tales. These flashes of memories had her sitting with her sister at tea, as the girl gushed about stories of brave princesses and hero-kings who fought both alongside and against dragons in grand wars. She held onto the memory because it was the first time she had wondered why people would look up to such terrifying beasts. Ah, if that poor girl had only known how true those stories would eventually ring. Edelgard already knew she would star in many a future fairy tale about this war.

She was pretty deep in the book when there were rumblings outside the door. Quick as a bow, Shamir was up and at the door, dagger in hand.

“Quiet.” She hissed at Edelgard, for no reason in particular. There were two taps on the door, and for some reason this made Shamir relax a bit. She cracked the door open.

“Password?” She spoke cautiously.

“Crescent Sickle.” A voice said on the other side. 

The door opened, and there was Dimitri. It was the first time in forever she had seen him without armor. He was dressed in fancy dark leatherwear suited for a nobleman, with a white handkerchief protruding from his undershirt and sharp boots. A light blue and silver cloak traced behind him to his knees clasped by a piece bearing his crest, and his traditional eyepatch was replaced with one made of pure silver. But the most striking thing was the thin crown that lay on his head, silver and gold with pointy thorns. He looked like a king. 

“Why...are you here?” She had not expected him to visit. Why would he?

Dimitri smiled. His face was red from energy and maybe some alcohol. “Listen.” He said.

Edelgard did. Faintly, she could hear laughing and music. The wedding.

“Why aren’t you there?” She asked, again.

“You can hear the music, right?” When she nodded, his smile widened. 

“You say your memories aren’t intact. Well...you may not remember this but you taught me to dance, long ago.”

Edelgard reached, but it was foggy. Well, if that kingdom boy was Dimitri...maybe. She did remember the ball at Garreg Mach. Dimitri had not danced with her then, but he stepped perfectly in tune with her own, and she vividly recalled accidently brushing the back of her head against his neck. Quite embarrassing at the time.

“I want to return the favor. May I have this dance, Edelgard?”

Edelgard gulped, then nodded. Why not? She slowly stood up and brushed off her nightgown, then walked over to him. He took her hand and put another on her back, and slowly they started to move with the song. She was good at dancing, and could tell he was now as well. The Tempest King of the battlefield was nowhere to be seen.

“You remember the ball at Garreg Mach, right? I wanted to tell you the truth then, but I couldn’t. I was not strong enough. I met the professor in the Goddess Tower later that night, and...here we are.”

“Here we are.” She said. “My parents met in the tower too…”

He had a dreamy look on his face, as if he were somewhere else entirely, giddy with memory of the ball. In the process he accidently stepped on her toes.

“I used to do that all the time. It seems I still have some stuff to learn.” He sheepishly said. She couldn’t help but laugh slightly at that. “But while we were all having fun at the ball, you were planning a war. Why couldn’t you talk to us, El?”

The man sounded small, and with his face above her she couldn’t really shrink under the question. 

“You were a stranger to me then, Dimitri Everybody was. Even so, I...er…”

He stepped back, and took her for a light spin. While spinning she saw Shamir behind her with an incredibly bored look on her face. “You..” Dimitri said.

“I er, feel bad, for how things had to be.” She stopped there. The words were strange to hear coming from her. She could not say sorry, not now and maybe not ever, but this was close.

They seemed to have a nice effect on Dimitri. He smiled again. 

“Thank you, El.” 

He ended the dance, bowing to her. Edelgard did a light curtsy back. His face got more serious.

“One more thing...I’m sorry in advance.”

Before she had time to question what that meant, she felt a hit on the back of her head and the world went dark.

\-----------------------

When Edelgard came to, she was trapped. She was moving, yet completely immobile in some sort of box, and saw nothing but darkness. The memories of the cells in Enbarr came flooding back. Then it all came back to her. Had Dimitri betrayed her trust? She shouldn’t have let her guard down. Panicked, she shuffled around restlessly and hit the walls of her confinement, too terrified to talk. At this, she heard a voice and stopped moving. 

After a second or so, Edelgard felt herself being lowered down, and once she was on the floor, she heard sharp noises in front of her. Was this the end? Left to be cut open and die in some box? She would have preferred death in the palace. Instead of her though, the box opened. Initially blinded by the light, she soon saw that staring down at her was a smiling man with long purple hair and light eyeshadow.

“Congratulations, friend.” He said. “You’re dead.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any other heroes players here? Legendary Edelgard is busted, and I'm kinda obligated to pull for her! Though if I use all my orbs and there is a 3H banner soon with Seteth, Lorenz or any of the BL guys I will cry.


	9. Paths That May Never Cross

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edelgard and a small group of both new faces and former enemies hatch a plan to find and uncover the location of Those Who Slither in the Dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello to any and all readers, long time no see-or maybe hello for the first time! I guess I should get my timeskip design out. After the messy chaos that was my 2020, I'm finally back at this fic. I'm hoping to finish it soon, as I have big plans for it, but uni may throw a monkey wrench in that plan. For now, please enjoy this double-extra-long chapter!
> 
> Also-slight blood warning. No bleeding, but we see dried blood at one point.
> 
> EDIT: Last bit did not upload for some reason-It's here now!

“Congratulations friend. You’re dead.”

Edelgard had little clue on what was happening at the current moment, but she did know she was not dead. The strange, purple haired man smiled a coy smile and reached out a hand. His entire demeanor screamed danger, and the warnings in Edelgard’s head were screaming. They sounded like Hubert.

“Come on now, I don’t bite.” He beckoned further.

Edelgard hated being talked down to like this. It reminded of Claude’s japes at the academy. Yet she swallowed her pride and accepted the hand. With surprising strength, he pulled her up, and upon letting go she noticed a strange contraption on the hand that grabbed her. He then proceeded to help her out of the reeking box, which by looking back, she could confirm was a coffin. It wasn’t the only one, there were a bunch more carefully laid on a carriage behind her.

“Is anyone going to climb out of those too?” Edelgard asked, with a drip of sarcasm in her voice whilst attempting to straighten out her long, white hair.

“Sorry, you’re the only undead one here. I’m Yuri by the way. We may have met once or twice at the academy, eh?” He gave her a big wink. His getup was a little strange, with pointed boots and shoulder pads that made him look almost like a jester. She quickly deduced that this ‘Yuri’ must have graduated with the Trickster certification, a relatively unpopular one in Fodlan. Yuri proceeded to nod back at the coffins in the carriage. “If anyone had risen in those then we’d have a problem, considering they're almost all empty.” Yuri continued with a frown and pointed to a familiar dark brown one. “That one, however, was one of your people.” Edelgard assumed he meant Ferdinand von Aegir. Lugging Ferdinand around with a bunch of empty coffins so casually seemed a little...unnerving.

She was about to say so when he turned around and walked toward a nearby campfire, motioning her along to follow him. For a moment she hesitated. She was free, no binds or guards to stop her. He turned around again, with a more mischievous glint in his eyes.

“Hey now, don’t get any funny ideas.” He spoke with a wicked smile. The contraption on his hand seemed to emit a slight, familiar glow. Edelgard was still pretty tired, and also had no idea where she was, so she resigned to follow him. However, she still made a mental note to keep an eye out for when the moment could be just right to make a break for it.

Yuri continued without a hitch. “I assume you are a bit confused why I’m shuffling around your pal with a bunch of empty coffins, huh? Well, I'm under the guise of a salesmen, and your friend happens to be the one I'm not selling. Yours too of course, at least before you woke. I'm actually working for the king.” He certainly spoke disrespectfully, but she let it slide. Not that she was really in a position to do otherwise.

Soon they approached the campfire. There were a few tents sitting in the distance, yet only one man was at the fire, a recognizable one with sandy gray hair: Ashe Ubert. He looked up to greet Yuri and his face paled a little when seeing Edelgard.

“Ah! I’m gonna have to get used to seeing...” He murmured to himself, finishing incoherently. The ghost of his unfinished sentence hung thick in the air. Seeing...the enemy? The hegemon monster? The one who killed my friend? Back when she was Emperor, whispers and insults bounced off her armor like anything else. With her title gone and pride struggling to stay afloat, the unsaid words hung heavier in the air. This was gonna be her legacy.

Without looking her in the eyes, he handed her a bowl of steaming something in front of the fire. It smelled quite good. He turned to Yuri, who sat down next to him. “Professor, er, Byleth, I mean, her Highness is fishing, she’ll be back shortly.” Ashe stifled a laugh. “She loves her fishing.” Byleth was here too? What an odd little group Edelgard had ended up in. The label Blue Lion Strike Force came up in her head, and she pushed it down. Instead, she took a sip of the bowl in her hands. It was delectable, yet despite her hunger she took small sips as what was taught to those in high positions. Some habits are hard to shake. Yuri, on the other hand, slurped down loudly and quickly.

“Ah, your cooking is spectacular, Ashe!” He said with a passion. “Say, if you ever wanted to join my crew instead of that fancy old-” Ashe cleared his throat and nudged toward Edelgard. “Yuri, I think explaining the current situation should take a greater priority than your job offers.” Edelgard rolled her eyes behind the bowl. This sounded like one of many conversations Linhardt and Caspar had on the daily.

Yuri cleared his throat. “I suppose you are right. Well as I mentioned earlier, your ex-Highness, you are dead...at least to the rest of the world.”

“I was under the impression that was already the case.”

“Yes and no. You were alive to only a select group of people, and then those you call ‘Those Who Slither in the Dark’ found out, and tried to kill you. Therefore we have faked your death again.” Yuri wiped his mouth, covered in soup. “His Royalness is most likely putting on a real show of interrogating his guards on who could have poisoned you at the moment. With the way that man gets when he's angry, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone even confessed.” Ashe seemed to show slight displeasure at the way Dimitri was casually referred to but didn't say anything. Instead, he offered them each another bowl of soup. Edelgard greedily accepted it, but not after asking Yuri to give some more information, at least on their location. After a long sip, Yuri did just that.

“We are currently in former Aegir territory, if that’s what you mean. Once we drop off your friend at his final resting place,-” He motioned offhandedly to the coffins. “-we go to Enbarr.”

Enbarr. That was the mission. They were going to ask her to help divulge Hubert’s information on the base of Those Who Slither in the Dark. This seemed to be a win-win situation. Help expose her enemy while giving her unadulterated access to Hubert’s laboratory, something even prohibited by Hubert himself? There was one thing in particular she knew was stowed away there that would be very enticing to see again.

Footsteps behind her caused Edelgard to snap out of these exciting thoughts and Byleth appeared and sat down next to her. She was holding a very heavy-looking basket full of fish, looking quite satisfied in a rare show of emotion. Ashe excitedly grabbed the basket from her, almost dropping it due to it’s immense weight, and started working on preparing some fish on the fire.

“Have you filled her in?” She directed toward Yuri, who immediately snapped to attention.

“Mostly.” He responded with a smirk. “I was just getting to the good stuff.” He turned to Edelgard, a smile growing on his face. “What we are hoping is that you can help us bring the fight to, eh, Tomas’ ilk. I don’t want to keep using that ridiculously long nickname.”

“ _Yuri. _” Byleths voice lowered, taking on a tone it took when she was still a teacher. Edelgard harrumphed and crossed her arms as well. It was a good acronym, especially if Dimitri had even started using it! Yuri shrunk a little under their gazes and put his hands up in surrender.__

__“Okay, okay. Anyway, we need to find any info you may have in the capital, if you are willing to help. Which ideally...you are. I don’t want to stuff you back in that coffin.” His face took on a mischievous look. “Kidding, of course!” This seemed directed more toward Byleth, who’s current glare was so sharp it made a Killing Edge look dull in comparison._ _

__“I don’t see any reason not to help.” Edelgard retorted, acting for a moment like she had a lot more control over the situation than she did. “Any information Hubert and by extension the Empire had is likely locked away safely in his laboratory in the Imperial Palace.”_ _

__Byleth’s face turned into a small smile, if only for a second. “We assumed as much.” She said, very matter of factly. Ashe’s face lightened up, and he actually looked at Edelgard in the eye quickly, before darting away. “That’s what we hoped for! His Highness actually assigned Yuri and I to accompany the Professor and you specifically because he assumed there'd be some smuggling to do.” His sparkling smile turned to Byleth. “His Highness really is wise for his years, isn’t he?!” Yuri looked as he was gonna say something witty but decided against it._ _

__Edelgard took that as a chance to speak again. “It would have been nice for him to tell me this before he knocked me out with a hit to the head.” She said, almost sheepishly._ _

__“The walls have ears, friend.” Yuri responded, and Edelgard nudged to the tents nearby with a raised eyebrow. Yuri scoffed and straightened up in his seat. “Those are my men, and I’d trust them with anything. Not that it matters, as they are none the wiser on who you really are. I don’t think they’d believe me if I told them.”_ _

__He laughed and took a quick swig of a drink that gave off a very...unique alcoholic smell. “I mean no offense, but you don’t necessarily look like the lady on all the Imperial propaganda anymore.” Edelgard stifled a chuckle, in spite of the slight dig. Maybe imprisonment was loosening her up a little. Even without taking into account the effects of being a prisoner had on the body, even one treated well, she knew her transformation into the Hegemon had been awful to her body, especially since it drew upon the power of her dual crests already sucking her life away._ _

__“So how do you plan to smuggle me past the guard?” Edelgard asked, changing the subject as Ashe began to hand out roast fish. The unspoken question was what could stop her from simply alerting the Imperial guard to her presence and winning her freedom? Yuri seemed to hear her thoughts as he gave a small laugh. That or maybe her tone was just a bit too hopeful. “Driven today, aren’t we? The palace and city of Enbarr as a whole is under the control of the Kingdom, and is still heavily occupied. If we failed in concealing you, it’s likely you would be killed publicly--and not in a nice, fun way. I can't imagine our fate would be too great either-His Highness King Dimitri told me beforehand that he would have to deny any knowledge of this if we were found-or risk an outbreak of violence. I’m under the impression that to help transition the people of Enbarr to life in Faerghus, there is a steady stream of rations and propaganda being poured into the city, and it does not necessarily reflect nicely on you. So don't think strutting in front of a crowd would be in your favor.”_ _

__Byleth looked up from her fourth helping of fish. “I’m sorry, but when it comes to smearing your name, we do what we must for peace and to avoid further conflict. Surely, you would have done the same.” It wasn’t a question, but Edelgard knew the answer. Still, there was no avoiding the lump in her throat. She remembered Hubert patiently explaining the possibility of the commoners turning against her once they lost Gronder Field and food supply started to thin, no matter what she promised for their future. Unsurprisingly, they start to care a little less about removing the nobility system when the act of removing it means worrying about the food on their plate. The thought of them actually celebrating it’s return caused her hand to curl into a fist, but luckily it seemed nobody noticed and she took a breath and relaxed._ _

__"You don't need to apologize, Professor. It's not like we started the war, anyway." Ashe muttered, and Byleth gave him a kind look. "Not now, Ashe." She offered Edelgard a cup of ale, which she quickly accepted._ _

__“So therein lies the question of getting you in. Lucky, I have an easy solution.” Yuri continued with a smile. “We simply dye your hair a little bit, cut it if we need to, and say you are my sister or...something. I’ve got the right color dye on me, it’s pretty easy to make.” Everyone’s expression focused on him. “What? You guys think this color is natural? I mean, maybe. C’mon, professor, you’re telling me you don’t dye?!?”_ _

__Byleth did not look amused._ _

__Edelgard gave a quick chuckle. “While that idea is certainly clever, I’m afraid it won’t work, Yuri. Hair dye is useless on me. My hair is...quite stubborn, to say the least.”_ _

__A memory of several empty jars of brown dye on the floor popped in her head, with a sniffling young Edelgard in the middle of them, her hair still white as snow, unable to hold any pigment whatsoever. " _Get it out Hubert, GET THE WHITE OUT! _" She had screamed at the time. Hubert had repeatedly tried to explain to her that the dye was not working, and then let her cry into his chest for a while when she got it. No tears could come out, even back then. The memory caused a shudder down her spine. If only she could choose which ones to forget.___ _

____ _ _

____Yuri looked frustrated and slumped down on his seat, but Edelgard could still see the gears turning in his head as he tried to think of a solution. Ashe looked at Edelgard with a half-smile on his face, but still didn't look in her eyes, clearly trying his hardest to be positive. “It's unfortunate that you can’t dye your hair, Edelgard. But the color you are stuck with: To be perfectly honest, I’ve only known one other person with hair the same color as yours, and I’ve met a lot of people.”_ _ _ _

____Before Edelgard could figure out how to respond to that, Yuri jumped up in excitement, causing Ashe to jump in his seat a little and Byleth to look up from her seventh helping of fish. “Ashe, my friend, you’re a genius! I can’t believe I didn’t think of it earlier. I know exactly how we’re gonna pull off a disguise!” A cunning smile stretched across his face and his eyes took on a familiar twinkle. “Edelgard, I hope you have a sweet tooth.”_ _ _ _

____\------------------------------_ _ _ _

____After a slight haircut, some sweet smelling oil for luster and shine, and a loose purple dress Yuri put together, Edelgard...still did not really come across as Lysithea von Ordelia. But for Kingdom soldiers with a vague idea of who Lysithea was, it would likely be fine. Yuri crafted together a thin purple veil somewhat reminiscent of the type Lysithea was known to wear in her hair, and instead told her to put it around the bottom half of her face. This helped quite a bit._ _ _ _

____She was secretly quite grateful to Yuri for the care he took in making the dress to her liking, he had made it nice and long when she asked and didn’t press questions, saving her the embarrassment of explaining her scars from the experiments. He brushed off her curt “Thank you” with a rare earnest smile, stating that he didn’t mind crafting together clothes as his mother had taught him well. When she changed and came out with the dress on and veil on, Ashe looked a little worried, but Byleth nodded her head._ _ _ _

____“This’ll do.” She stated._ _ _ _

____Ashe’s face relaxed a little as Byleth spoke, and Yuri moved to speak. “Now you don’t have to mimic her perfectly, but you should try to, a little at least.”_ _ _ _

____Ashe joined in with a thoughtful look in his eye. “You’ve always been intimidating. Lysithea tries to be too, except she is a lot worse at it.” It wasn't necessarily a compliment, but she'd take it._ _ _ _

____Byleth patted Ashe on the shoulder and finished the thought. “Lysithea likes to compensate for her age. She can come across as a little arrogant.” There was a playful look in her eye. Ashe and Yuri were both staring at Edelgard as well._ _ _ _

____Edelgard quickly picked up on the unspoken, accusatory words. “I am only as arrogant as I have to be.” She folded her arms. ”There has always been a heavy burden on my role.”_ _ _ _

____“Right.” Yuri said. “Won’t be too hard for you then. So just be all stuck up to strangers, but accept a cookie if someone offers it. Good?” He didn’t seem to wait for an answer. “The horses have been fed, let’s get a move on.” He motioned to his men slightly off in the distance, and everyone started preparing to leave._ _ _ _

____Edelgard walked toward the carriage, preparing herself for the journey ahead. A quick stop at Duke Aegir’s former residence, then the imperial capital. It was worrying and admittedly a bit exciting to be able to see Enbarr again._ _ _ _

____She snapped out of her thoughts by someone clearing their throat behind her, and a man walked up to her right, looking directly at her. At first, she was petrified that she had been found out, by the Kingdom or worse, but she quickly realized she was in far more unfamiliar territory when she saw the smile on the man’s face clearly intended to be charming, not cruel or mocking._ _ _ _

____“Oh my.” He said, almost purring. “Boss did not mention that we were sharing our journey with the captivating Lysithea von Ordelia.” Edelgard gulped. Usually Hubert would nip these scenarios in the bud several steps before they got this far, sometimes to her discomfort. Getting a date to the ball was interesting, to say the least-only Sylvain Gautier was brave enough to try and chat her up more than once._ _ _ _

____“....your poor body” The man was continuing. “Those cramped carriages can cause so much discomfort. Perhaps if you’d like to share my horse instead, that would be more to your liking.” He gave another large grin._ _ _ _

____Lysithea be damned, Edelgard was ready to sock this man in the gut when she felt another hand on her shoulder. Luckily, it was Yuri. “Excuse me, Inigo, I don’t think your particular talents are requested here.” Edelgard cleared her throat and spoke in her highest tone possible. “He is correct.” Passable._ _ _ _

____The man named Inigo frowned, looking at Edelgard and ignoring his boss for the moment. “Are you sure?” Yuri put an arm around Edelgard’s shoulder. “We’re sure.” Inigo got the hint and scuttled off. Yuri removed his arm and had a scared look on his face._ _ _ _

____“If Lysithea’s still alive and kicking and you ever run into her, please never tell her I did that. She would most certainly kill me. At least they’ll leave you alone now.” Ashe appeared at the carriage door with his bag in one hand and helped her in with the other, and Yuri afterward._ _ _ _

____“You’re disguising me as Lysithea when you don’t even know if she’s alive?!?” Edelgard hissed once they were all in the carriage. Yuri waved a hand. “She’s probably alive. If they accuse you of being dead when we get to Enbarr, just threaten them a little. It’ll be fine. If she is alive and also at Enbarr for whatever reason, then we have a problem. But it’ll be fine.” With those striking words of confidence, Byleth rode up beside them on her horse and gave a nod, and they started on their merry way to Enbarr._ _ _ _

____\-----------------------------------------------_ _ _ _

____The carriage was luckily quite comfortable, and the trip was smooth. Yuri engaged in small talk with her, cracking a joke here and there to keep the mood up. Ashe did not talk to her whatsoever, and while that was expected, it was admittedly still a little weird getting the cold shoulder from the one known as famously friendly back in their academy days. She partly wish Byleth had decided to join them instead of riding outside of the carriage, at least to have a chance to ask a question or two. Regardless, she enjoyed the rare comfort of the carriage seat, which did not even stop once until they reached Duke Aegir’s old residence to drop off Ferdinand’s body. Edelgard refused to even look at the place where the duke had once resided: the quicker that man left her mind forever, the better. After that it was smooth sailing to Enbarr. Edelgard peeked out her window and saw a city obviously still in recovery from the war. True to Yuri’s word, Kingdom soldiers littered the streets, and several were riding alongside the carriage, some silently and others seemingly trying to catch the attention of the newly crowned archbishop. Edelgard noticed with pain that the front of the opera house had completely collapsed. Dorothea was likely rolling in her grave._ _ _ _

____“That was one of your demonic beasts, not us.” Ashe said, startling her. His face was scrunched up in outward frustration, and his fingers loosely toyed with the strap on his satchel. Edelgard looked away and turned back to the window, not knowing how to respond._ _ _ _

____After a moment of uncomfortable silence even Yuri couldn't break, Byleth rode up beside the window of the carriage and murmured something to Yuri. He cleared his throat to draw their attention. “We are nearing the palace. I have received word that an old friend of mine is currently managing affairs there. You guys may recognize her and she may seem an ally, but do NOT reveal the identity to her. She is an absolute blabbermouth. Keep your veil up.” He motioned to Edelgard._ _ _ _

____After a few more minutes, they reached the Imperial palace. It looked as Edelgard remembered it from the outside, although the large blue flags bearing the griffin of Faerghus were certainly a striking contrast to the deep red of Adrestia. Flanked by Kingdom troopers, they walked through the gates, passing the spot Edelgard knew Hubert had fallen. There was no sign of him ever being there now._ _ _ _

____At the inner door of the palace, a woman with long blonde hair and a fancy red dress was waiting. Yuri sighed and motioned them toward her, and the second he was inside the palace she strongly embraced him._ _ _ _

____“YURI! I’m so happy to see you! Imagine my absolute surprise when I heard the king had sent you of all people to accompany the professor. Oh, sorry professor, I mean the archbishop! Technically this palace is MINE now, so I do hope you are careful while you're here…”_ _ _ _

____She drawled on and on. Yuri was right. Edelgard recognized her as Constance von Nuvelle, someone who she had known before the war and even the academy. She was likely one of the highest ranking imperials to side with Dimitri, so it made sense that she was managing the palace. She subtly made sure her veil was covering her face. Confronting Constance as herself would be draining, to say the least. Done greeting Ashe and Byleth, she walked up to Edelgard._ _ _ _

____“Oh! I recognize you! Don’t tell me!” She seemed to think quite carefully. Yuri cleared his throat. “That’s Lysithea von Ordelia, Constance.” A lightbulb went off in the blonde’s head. “Oh of course, of course! I was about to say that, Yuri. My fellow magical prodigy, Lysithea! It’s so great to see you, it’s been SO long.” She embraced Edelgard, and kissed her on both cheeks. “Say, that veil looks new! What’s the reason?”_ _ _ _

____Edelgard prepared her voice. “Bloody Nose.”_ _ _ _

____Constance seemed to buy it. “Of course! It would be very un-noble to have your nose bleeding all over your face! Smart choice, Lysithea. Back in the academy days, you never seemed to care about that stuff!” Edelgard squinted her eyes but resisted the urge to say something. “Anyway,” Yuri cut in. “Thank you for greeting us, Constance, but we must be off now to give a quick check of the palace. It won’t take long.”_ _ _ _

____Constance laughed, a familiar, shrill one. “Oh Yuri, you can’t get rid of me that easily. What kind of host would I be if I set you off to fend for yourself? I’ll gladly give you all a tour, what do you need to see? There’s the throne room, the coronation hall, even the Emperor’s old bedroom! Well actually it's mine now, so maybe not that one!” She laughed again, and Yuri and Ashe each forced a laugh with her, eyeing Edelgard warily._ _ _ _

____Edelgard began to see red. This girl was not only trancing around her home like it was some museum, and was even sleeping in her bedroom on top of everything?!?” Byleth put her hand on Edelgard’s shoulder. The hand felt soothing. “Relax.” She whispered._ _ _ _

____Yuri looked toward Edelgard. “Alright then, hey Lysithea, is there anywhere _specifically _important that you want to see on our tour?” Ah yes, the mission.___ _ _ _

______“Hubert’s study.” She said in a mediocre replica of Lysithea’s voice. Right after saying so she got concerned looks from Yuri and even Ashe and realized that Lysithea probably did not know where Hubert’s study was. “It’s the study across from the Emperor’s room. I, uh, took a tour here once.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Constance just nodded, smiled, and led them toward the stairs. Edelgard did remember her being a little dull. They traversed the massive staircase, and soon reached Hubert’s study. It was completely empty, but this didn’t worry Edelgard. Hubert wasn’t stupid enough to leave his research out in the open. With a sudden pang in her chest, Edelgard realized that she would be revealing Hubert’s research to the enemy, it felt like betrayal. But no, Hubert would’ve understood. There was a greater enemy to topple._ _ _ _ _ _

______Yuri cleared his throat quite dramatically, with a large sigh. “I sure am thirsty. I could _definitely _use some tea right now.” Constance turned toward him. “Would you like me to ask a guard to fetch a cup or two?” Yuri looked behind him and back, and made another large sigh. “You could do that, I guess. I was just remembering that time back in Abyss when you made tea for the Ashen Wolves. That was the best tea I’ve ever had in my life.”___ _ _ _ _ _

________Constance tilted her head. “You told me it was disgusting.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Yuri smiled sheepishly in response. “I was in denial at the time.” He audibly swallowed. “In denial of your obvious natural talents.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Constance laughed her loud laugh again. “Ohhh, interesting, I think I see now." She raised an eyebrow at Yuri. "I’m glad you’ve finally seen the truth, Yuri. You’ve really matured! Stay put, darlings.” With that, she hurried away and out of sight. Ashe closed the door behind her, and then patted Yuri’s shoulder twice._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Thanks for taking one for the team.” He smiled._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Just get on with it.” Yuri mumbled._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Edelgard ran over to the far end of the study. She knew it was behind one of the walls. Her pride prevented her from mentioning to this little party earlier that Hubert had never actually even let her into this laboratory before, only made her aware of its existence. He had been entrusted by her to hide something very important there, before the final stand in Enbarr. She carefully knocked on the wall. Hollow. Feeling with her fingers, she found a bit of dusty steel encased between the wood on the wall, which was a knob of sorts, and the lock to Hubert’s laboratory. She pushed it. Nothing. Wait. Lock._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“I may have forgotten something. The key.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“The key?” Three voices said at once._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“To keep his laboratory private from the enemies of the empire-” " _And from me _" a voice said in her head. “-Hubert...may have implemented a system to keep his laboratory closed off. I believe he used his own blood to unlock the gate. He always did have a flair for the dramatic.”___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Silence. “Well, that’s a problem.” Ashe sighed._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Byleth had a wistful look on her face. “You say he pressed his blood up to that piece of metal, as a key?” Edelgard nodded her head._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Fascinating.” Yuri muttered, stroking his chin._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Byleth walked toward the wall, feeling and finding the small piece that stood between them and the lab. She closed her eyes and sighed, seemingly resigning herself to something. She looked back at them. “I may have an idea. Please stand back.” The others created a perimeter around her._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“My friend, give me your strength.” She whispered very softly, as she touched the piece of metal on the top. Edelgard was going to mention that she should touch it in the center, but decided not to interrupt. “I call upon the hands of time.” Byleth continued to mutter incoherently. Edelgard felt a little creeped out, and wondered if Yuri and Ashe felt the same._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Nothing seemed to have happened. Byleth was closing her eyes, in a moment of deep focus. Then Edelgard saw it. Slowly, the metal _changed _. Dust was reforming in the center, where Edelgard’s fingertip was mere moments ago. A drop of sweat poured down Byleth’s face, and onto the ground. Her hand was emitting a very light yellow glow. The dust then slowly dispersed, more and more. Byleth was straining now, but she held on. Not for the first time, Edelgard admired her strength. What an ally to have had…___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________The center of the metal knob slowly became a light shade of brown. Edelgard gasped. Dried blood. Hubert’s blood. “It’s there!” She cried out, forgetting all dignity in the excitement. Ashe and Yuri gasped as well. Byleth released her grip and for a moment stood there, motionless. Then she fell over on her back._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________They all cried out at once, and ran up to her. Ashe checked her forehead, Edelgard checked her pulse. They both jumped back pretty quickly._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“She’s burning up.” Ashe almost yelled out. Yuri put an ear to her chest. “No heartbeat.” He said, fear consuming his usually controlled voice. Edelgard felt herself sweating. The professor dying now, after all that? She may have celebrated this earlier, during the war, but now all she felt was panic._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________The panic was interrupted by a loud noise coming from Byleth. Her chest heaved and slowly lowered again._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Was-was that a snore?” Ashe asked, a smile curling on the corners of his mouth._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Yuri was laughing. “It was! She’s alive! She’s alive!” Yuri whooped and laughed, and launched Ashe into a hug. They were quite consumed in the excitement of the revelation. Edelgard wondered if she would have acted the same upon discovering the professor was alive after five years---had Byleth had come to her instead of Dimitri. Still, in the excitement she could not help but smile._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“The door.” Yuri said, reminded of what Byleth had done._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________They all turned toward the knob, but at that very moment the door to the study re-opened._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“I’ve got tea!” Constance sang out._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________She yelped out when she saw Byleth on the ground, almost dropping the tea in the process._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Oh dear! Is she ok?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“She’s sleeping, we think.” Yuri scratched the back of his head. “Just, uh, fell like that. Is there an infirmary, or maybe a healer nearby?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Constance set the tea on Hubert’s old desk. Yes! I can take her there now. Could you give me a hand, Yuri?” Yuri looked at Ashe and Edelgard and back at Constance. He nodded his head._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Sure.” Together, Yuri and Constance carried Byleth’s sleeping form out. “Sorry guys, sit tight for a little longer!” She yelled as they were leaving. Yuri mouthed the word "Sorry" out to them. Then they were gone.____________

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing Ashe and Yuri is so fun! I wish they had a support. Hope you enjoyed!


	10. Chivalry and Honor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tensions rise as the search for the base of Those Who Slither in The Dark continue, and other treasures are uncovered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again readers! I'm happy to get this chapter out so quick. Class starts tomorrow for me so the next chapter definitely won't be out as fast. 
> 
> Also, there were a few hurdles uploading the last chapter, so if you read it right after it uploaded the beginning of this one may look a bit similar to the end of that one, sorry about that! This chapter also has a slight blood warning and violence warning.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

“I guess we better carry on then.” Ashe muttered, after a small silence. Edelgard nodded numbly and walked toward the bloodied knob, while Ashe closed the door of the study. She gave it a push and heard a low creak. The wall split open slightly. Ashe ran over and together they pushed the entrance open.

There was a small hallway in front of them, and an unlit torch at the entrance. Luckily Ashe had come prepared, taking out some tools from his bag and a stick of wood. He got a small fire going quickly, and soon held the lit torch. Edelgard nodded at him, impressed. She had never been taught anything remotely close to that in her upbringing.

“You learn a lot when living on the streets.” Ashe said, leading her forward. “In the end, casting Fire would be quicker.” He finished dismissively. 

She had forgotten he was once a thief on the streets, before being adopted by that minor lord, Lonato. The fact that a talented, crestless boy had to luck out with adoption for a chance to build upon his skills made her blood boil. He may not have known it at the time, but her war was for him.

They walked in silence through the narrow hallway. At least the privacy meant she could lower the veil, at least temporarily. It was honestly quite itchy. The torchlight from Ashe’s hands gave a yellow glow to the walls and the green of his eyes. 

It was reminiscent of the tunnels beneath the palace, in which she was imprisoned. Edelgard suppressed an involuntary shiver. 

Ashe stopped suddenly, realizing they had found the entrance to the inner lab. 

The laboratory seemed spacious but was quite dark, and the wall was littered with mounted empty torches. Ashe methodically lit each of them up, placing the one they brought down with them on the wall afterward. 

When lit up, Edelgard could see just how cozy the lab was. It had a low ceiling and was lined with tall stacks of paper on the floor on the walls surrounding the room. Each stack was labelled on top in Hubert’s fine handwriting, and the room was relatively organized, with a desk with a few books on it at the far end. 

With an unspoken agreement, the two quickly split up: Ashe heading right and Edelgard heading left, also keeping her eye out for something special she knew was in here. As she sifted through some piles, Edelgard noticed that the labels on the numerous stacks had most interesting titles: some were names of enemies or allies, some were locations, and some, to her dismay, were plans for after they won the war. One pile had a picture on top instead.

It was a crude drawing of two stick figures. One of them had long, brown pigtails and was smiling, holding a flower. The other was tall with messy black scribbles for hair and a scowl on his face.

Edelgard quietly took the picture off the stack, carefully folding it and putting it in her dress. 

For several moments, the only sound was the rustling of papers.

“Hey!” Ashe called out, breaking the silence. “This one is called Edelgard’s favorite operas!”

“That’s private!” She yelled back, feeling her face uncharacteristically heat up. 

“Oh...I thought it may have been code for something.” 

“Just keep looking.” Of course Hubert would keep a file on her favorite operas, and unsurprisingly Ashe thought it was a joke. Oh, Hubert. 

She kept looking through the piles, still finding nothing related to Those Who Slither. Very odd, considering Hubert had claimed he spent quite a lot of time on researching them. Perhaps he was lying?

Edelgard turned around to see if Ashe had made any progress. He seemed to have found something important, as he was kneeled beside a stack of papers next to the desk and going through them intently. She walked over to him.

“Find anything? Hopefully not another opera list...”

She looked at the top of the stack that Ashe was sifting through. She saw the words "Western Church". Oh.

“Edelgard.” He spoke out. “You knew Lonato...didn’t you?”

“We met once.” She responded curtly. “If you are wondering, he knew he would likely die when he set out to face the church.”

Ashe was quiet. Then he erupted.

“You just let a man like that go off to die? Let him saunter off to his death because it worked out for you and your plans, like some pawn?” He turned back to her and stood up, anger etched on his face. 

She stepped back, face scrunching up in discontent. “You wouldn’t understand. He made his own choice, we just gave him purpose for his grief. Dying for the greater good is not a death in vain.”

“Anyone with a smidge of honor or chivalry would try and help people process that grief, not send them off to their death because it was convenient! Is life really worth that little to you?”

“I do care about life, more than you would know. The sacrifice of a few can provide hope and opportunity for the many.” She squinted, and raised her head to meet his eyes. “In the Fodlan I would have created, anyone would have had the chance to shine. Lonato’s sacrifice would have helped children like you all across Fodlan.” 

“But it didn’t, didn’t it. You lost the war.” He glared down at her.

She raised an eyebrow back. “Who’s fault is that? One could say it was the Kingdom that rendered Lonato’s sacrifice useless, then.”

He scoffed at that. “How dare you? You tried to tear apart everything: Our pride, our people, even our king! You can’t expect us to not defend ourselves and way of life, no matter how just your world would be.”

“I know.” Edelgard responded, a tired groan escaping her lips. She always managed to come off as pretentious, didn’t she. Time to slow down a little. “That’s why I fought. There was no other way to change a world that needed changing. Even if it meant I had to wage war on the goddess herself.” 

Ashe tilted his head, but his glare seemed to loosen up a little. “Listen, I at least can understand your dislike of the church. The more I look into how they handled the death of my older brother, the more it...haunts me.” 

“For me it was the crest system.” She nodded slowly. They were getting somewhere at least. “Crests are used to suppress those who are less powerful, and the church supports it.”

He looked at her quizzically, as if weighing something, then sighed. “I’m not saying I agree with you on how justified your war was, at all really. But I guess I’m starting to understand.”

“That’s enough.” She allowed her features to soften, in truce. “I know what it’s like to lose your family, believe me. I would never wish that pain on anyone.”

Ashe looked to the side, and his face reddened a little. “I know I can’t blame you fully for what he decided to do. I guess I’m just looking for answers, even now.” He sat down on the ground. “It just really turned my world upside down. How could he leave my siblings and I behind like that? He was my role model...a perfect knight.”

“I don’t know all about who he was, Ashe.” She sat down as well. “But I know his grief was consuming him. Maybe to him, sacrificing himself like that was the most knightley thing he could do.”

Ashe paused. “To be honest, I don’t know if that makes it better or worse.” He said after a moment, with a dry, cheerful tone of all things.

Edelgard did not know how, but something extremely unfamiliar happened. She laughed. A real laugh. One that came from the bottom of her chest. It wasn’t loud, it wasn’t long, but it was a real laugh. Instead of immediately killing her for doing so, Ashe started to chuckle as well, and eventually laughed as well. Together they laughed in the small, clustered room. 

“I don’t know what came over me.” She said, after a moment, covering her mouth with both of her hands and trying to collect herself. “I assure you I was not laughing at your misfortune.”

“It’s okay, I get it. I’ve learned the power of laughter when overcoming tragedy.” Ashe flashed a real smile. One she hadn’t seen directed at her before from him. He then quickly looked ahead, focusing on the corner of the room.

“After Lonato died, I was a wreck. I refused to leave my room, except to visit the cathedral. The professor dropped off my meals, and didn't ask questions. I couldn’t get out of my funk. Then one day after about a week, there was a knock at my door. It was Caspar, and he was holding this cat. He asked if he could come in and I let him. We exchanged some small talk, he asked how I was, and all this time he was just holding the cat. Finally I asked him, Caspar, why are you holding a cat? So Caspar, and I promise you I’m not making this up, he said ‘What cat?’ I pointed to his hands and he looked down at the cat and was absolutely terrified! He didn’t even remember picking up a cat! I laughed and laughed as hard as I ever had. And just like that, I could start moving forward again.” 

He smiled and shook his head. Edelgard was surprised to find herself grinning alongside him..

“That does sound like Caspar.”

Ashe nodded his head. “Afterwards he told me he had pretended not to know there was a cat there to make me laugh. The red on his face gave away how much of a lie that was! He always was an awful liar, wasn’t he.” His smile faded, and a small frown took its place. They were silent for a moment. 

“He’s gone now.” Edelgard said, with a pang in her chest of guilt and sadness. And here she was, laughing with one who served his killer,  
.  
“Don’t you see, Edelgard?” Ashe said softly, not noticing her internal plight. “Now we can laugh at that story to help us move forward again. It’s like Caspar’s still helping us out. It’s the same with Lonato, by living my life with the kindness and chivalry he showed and taught me, it’s like he’s a little closer. That might help you let your dead friends live a bit longer too” His eyes seemed to glint with some sort of understanding. “You know, you and His Highness really aren’t so different.”

Edelgard did not know what he meant by that last comment, nor if it was meant as a compliment or an insult. But she thought about what else he said. Would it be ok to move on? 

“Anyway…” Ashe interrupted her thoughts. “We probably should get back to our task. There doesn’t seem to be what we are looking for in these stacks. Let’s go over to that desk.” They walked over. Hubert’s desk was simple, despite a weird looking pole on the side, with a single drawer in the middle and a faint smell of coffee. Torches blazed on each side of the desk, mounted on the wall.

“There's not much stuff on here.” Edelgard said they sifted through the thin layer of papers and books on history and strategy. On the bottom was a big map of the city of Enbarr, with dots all over it. She noticed one was labelled ‘Dorothea’, and another was labelled ‘Petra’ in Hubert’s fine handwriting. Demonic beasts and ballistas were also marked. This appeared to be the final defense plan of the city. Ashe pointed to the Opera Hall. 

“I went down that way with Ingrid and Annette.” He muttered. “After Dorothea was...gone, a winged Demonic Beast perched upon the hall. Almost killed Ingrid. It went down in three arrows.” 

“You’re a good shot.”

He nodded his head numbly. “I guess.” The desk was cleared of anything important at this point, now their last option was the desk drawer. Of course, the drawer was locked.

Ashe cocked his head. “A locked drawer in a hidden lab? How paranoid can you be?”

Edelgard ignored that. “Can we open it?” 

“I’m actually an excellent lockpick. Give me a second.”

As Ashe worked on the lock, Edelgard leaned against the desk. She eyed the pole jutting out again...it looked a little familiar. Weird. Wait, could that be….

Heart thumping, she pulled on the end of the pole. She was right, it was not attached to the desk, it was behind it, and attached to something else. The soft glow of a crest stone was visible at the end of the pole. It could only be Aymr, her treasured axe. She braced to give it a quick pull to free it, forgetting momentarily about her surroundings in her excitement.

“Edelgard, wait!” Ashe cried out.

Too late. Edelgard pulled, and encountered much less resistance than she initially thought. This caused her to stumble backwards, bumping into a torch mounted behind her on the wall. The torch fell right on top of a stack of papers, and they quickly set alight. 

Ashe hurriedly got the drawer open. Inside she saw was a stack of papers labelled _Shambhala _. That word sounded very familiar. "Take those!" She cried out. He quickly grabbed them and put them in his satchel.__

____

“We have to get out of here!” Edelgard yelled. She clutched the golden axe in her hand. It felt light as a feather, and oh-so familiar, shining with a radiant light. She pulled Lysithea's veil back up over her face with the other hand, to block the smoke.

____

“Wait!” he cried. He ran over to the Western Church pile next to the desk and frantically started sifting through them, and putting some in his increasingly-full satchel. The desk had just caught fire right behind him, and he wasn’t focusing on it nearly as much as he should have.

____

“Ashe, come on!”

____

The desk was burning bright, and with a ‘creak’ one of the legs gave out, the desk falling onto Ashe’s shin with a sickening cracking sound. He screamed out in pain.

____

Edelgard looked at the exit. She had Aymr and had nobody in her way. This was the time to go, to be free, right? Hubert would’ve said so.

____

She looked back at Ashe. He was trapped with a leg under the desk, and his satchel had almost caught fire. She knew what she had to do.

____

She walked up to him and readied Aymr. He looked up with fear in his eyes.

____

“Hold still.” 

____

Aymr smashed through the wood of the desk. It was only then she realized he was holding his hands up in front of his face. He looked terrified.

____

“I thought you…”

____

“There’s no honor in that type of kill.” That came out colder than she expected. She cleared her throat. “Besides, I can’t keep Caspar’s memory alive alone.”

____

He leaned on her shoulder, one leg completely useless as they hobbled out of the smoldering lab into the long hallway. Ashe was clutching his bag, being full to the brim with papers. 

____

After a walk, they reached the end of the hallway, and Edelgard shoved the hidden door behind her, cutting off the fire. She set Ashe down lightly and safely on the floor of Hubert's study. Now was time for her escape. 

____

Before she could leave the study, she heard the door open. Yuri and Constance were likely back. When she looked up, she saw four kingdom soldiers instead. One held a handkerchief with bright, red blood on it. They froze immediately when they saw her. Her eyes widened. These were no kingdom soldiers, these must be assassins for Those Who Slither in the Dark.

____

“They’ve already gotten in. We’re too late.” One said. “Kill them and take everything they have!”

____

Ashe whimpered, backing up against the wall and clutching his satchel. Edelgard stepped in front of him, Aymr glowing at the ready. The assassins' eyes widened at the sight of the axe.

____

“That’s her! That’s the emperor!” 

____

They all brandished daggers, closing in on the duo. 

____

Ashe was rummaging around in his coat.

____

Edelgard struck. She launched towards one assassin on her left, using her axe to swing out while still blocking off Ashe. The man easily dodged her swing. They circled her like lions, smiling wickedly. She backed up, taking a defensive stance.

____

In a flash, one was clutching his chest, where an arrow protruded. Edelgard whipped around to see Ashe holding a Mini Bow. The assassin struck fell to the ground, dead. The handkerchief he was holding fell with him. Edelgard took advantage of their surprise to lash out with a horizontal strike. This time, her axe hit it’s mark, effortlessly cleaving through a body as if it was made of cheese.

____

The other two stepped back. 

____

“We must warn the base.” One whispered, and after a second the other one agreed and they both turned to run out of the study, seemingly to flee the premises. Edelgard ran behind them.

____

They ran down the large imperial hallway and toward the grand staircase. They were much faster than Edelgard. They looked as they were going to get to the stairs and farther, when something blocked their exit.

____

“Looking for me?” 

____

Yuri appeared at the top of the stairs with a sly smile. With a finger-gun, he immediately shot a sharp blade of wind at one assassin, who barely dodged. They were now sandwiched between Edelgard and Yuri. Yuri took out his rapier to duel one of them, while Edelgard prepared to take the other one. She took a defensive stance as the man tried to reach her body with short stabs of his dagger, as he was far to nimble for her to easily hit. She could hold him off, but not forever. 

____

A scream sounded as Yuri killed his guy. The one left seemed to panic slightly, but then looked toward the door to Hubert’s study and gave a wicked smile.

____

“If I can’t kill you, I’ll just take your friend!” He dashed past Edelgard toward the study, kicking off the wall to get around her. There was no way they could make it in time.

____

Or so she thought. The fetters on Yuri’s hand started to glow as he ran past Edelgard in pursuit, reaching speeds she did not know were possible. His blade hit it’s mark.

____

Edelgard relaxed, but not soon enough. In a flash, Yuri was back at her, knocking her wrist with his elbow, surprising and disarming her, sending Aymr careening across the hall and landing with a dull noise. She’d gotten rusty.

____

“Sorry, princess. I do have to get you back to His Highness.” He said with a cruel, japing tone and a blade pointed at her neck. She challenged him with her eyes but put her hands up. So close.

____

Behind them, she heard footsteps going up the stairs. Yuri focused half of his attention on the staircase, preparing to strike again.

____

It was only Constance. She gave quite a scream.

____

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yuri's crest weapon is so cool. Hope you enjoyed!


End file.
